Bloomipedia
Spotted horsemint (Monarda punctata)
Photo: Celeste Ray via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Spotted horsemint

Monarda punctata

Spotted horsemint (Monarda punctata) is a low shrub in the Lamiaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–September across the U.S.

Native in the lower 48

Spotted horsemint is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–September.

32states where USDA records it
4Bloomipedia state lists include it
22,242U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin

Quick look

Monarda punctata is a herbaceous plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that is native to eastern Canada, the eastern United States and northeastern Mexico. Common names include spotted beebalm and horsemint.

  • It belongs to the Lamiaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) / a subshrub with a annual, biennial, perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 32 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as native to Texas, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Oklahoma. NatureServe
  • In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
  • In Wisconsin, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 6,645 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #100 among the 169 flowers on our Texas list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,722 research-grade sightings of it in Wisconsin, ranking #89 among the 161 flowers on our Wisconsin list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 462 research-grade sightings of it in South Carolina, ranking #86 among the 171 flowers on our South Carolina list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (2,028 records)
Bloom time in the 4 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
TexasNativeApril–June6,645
WisconsinNativeJuly–September1,722
South CarolinaNativefew records (32)462
OklahomaNativefew records (10)442

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
Texas
Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Texas. 31 TAC 69.8
Wisconsin
Not listed Not on Wisconsin endangered and threatened species list (Wis. Admin. Code NR 27.03). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Wisconsin. NR 27.03
South Carolina
No list South Carolina has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's South Carolina ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in South Carolina.
Oklahoma
No list Oklahoma has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Oklahoma ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oklahoma.
Rare elsewhere
Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: OH (S1), PA (S1), VT (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records spotted horsemint in 32 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin; District of Columbia.

Texas counties with USDA records: Anderson, Andrews, Angelina, Aransas, Atascosa, Austin, Bailey, Bastrop, Bell, Bexar, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Brown, Burleson, Caldwell, Calhoun, Callahan, Cameron, Cass, Chambers, Childress, Clay, Comal, Crane, Crosby, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Dickens, Dimmit, Duval, Erath, Falls, Fayette, Freestone, Frio, Gaines, Galveston, Garza, Goliad, Gonzales, Gray, Grayson, Gregg, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Hemphill, Hidalgo, Hockley, Hopkins, Houston, Hutchinson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jim Wells, Jones, Karnes, Kaufman, Kenedy, Kent, Kleberg, La Salle, Lampasas, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Lipscomb, Live Oak, Llano, Madison, Marion, Martin, McCulloch, McLennan, McMullen, Medina, Milam, Mills, Montgomery, Motley, Nacogdoches, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Parker, Polk, Red River, Robertson, Runnels, Rusk, San Augustine, San Patricio, Shelby, Somervell, Stonewall, Tarrant, Taylor, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Val Verde, Walker, Ward, Washington, Webb, Wheeler, Willacy, Williamson, Wilson, Winkler, Wood.

Wisconsin counties with USDA records: Adams, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lincoln, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, Trempealeau, Walworth, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood.

South Carolina counties with USDA records: Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Beaufort, Calhoun, Charleston, Clarendon, Colleton, Darlington, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Marion, Marlboro, Orangeburg, Richland.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Native; Lower 48 states: Native.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 670 counties across 29 states; the most are in Texas (114), Louisiana (48), Virginia (48).

Other Monarda on Bloomipedia (4): Wild bergamot, Lemon beebalm, Scarlet beebalm, Eastern beebalm.

More from the Lamiaceae family (44 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Common selfheal, Ground-ivy, Red deadnettle, American beautyberry, Henbit deadnettle, Lyreleaf sage, American germander, Common motherwort.

More Texas flowers

Lemon beebalm (Monarda citriodora)

Lemon beebalm

Monarda citriodora

Native

🌼 Blooms in TX: April–June
American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

American beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Native

🌼 Blooms in TX: May–July
Henbit deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule)

Henbit deadnettle

Lamium amplexicaule

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in TX: January–March

Sources