Monarda citriodora, commonly known as lemon bee balm or lemon mint, is an aromatic annual or short-lived perennial noted for its citrus-scented foliage and striking, tiered flower structure. It typically grows 12 to 30 inches tall with a spread of about 10 to 18 inches, forming an upright, slender clump with multiple branching, square stems. The narrow, lance-shaped leaves measure roughly 1½ to 3 inches long and about ¼ to ¾ inch wide, arranged oppositely along the stems and releasing a strong lemon fragrance when brushed or crushed. In late spring through summer, the plant produces showy, stacked whorls of tubular flowers along the upper stem, each tier separated by colorful bracts that can be 1 to 2 inches long, often flushed lavender, pink, or purplish tones. The individual flowers are slim and tubular, about ¾ to 1 inch long, usually pale lavender to light purple with darker speckling, clustered in rings about 1 to 1½ inches across. These layered clusters may extend 6 to 10 inches along the stem tip, giving the plant a tall, spire-like, almost pagoda-shaped silhouette. The root system is fibrous and relatively shallow, and the plant readily self-seeds, allowing drifts to expand a foot or more over time in favorable, well-drained soils. It thrives in full sun and tolerates heat, drought, and poor soils once established, making it well suited to wildflower meadows, herb gardens, and pollinator plantings where vertical texture, fragrance, and seasonal color are desired without a heavy footprint.