Geographic Distribution
of Monarda fistulosa

*Note:The geographic distribution of the M. fistulosa depends greatly on the reference being used. Some authorities may consider what is denoted on this site as a separate species of Monarda to actually be merely a subspecies of M. fistulosa. Under those circumstances, the overall range of the primary species may be greatly affected. For example, the M. menthaefolia is occasionally considered a subspecies of the fistulosa, which would cause the range of the fistulosa to extend all the way to the western coast of the US (since the range of M. menthaefolia is entirely in the western US)

Monarda fistulosa L.
AREA
STATUS REFERENCES
North America:
Continental United States; Canada
Yes Grehan (1964), Krochmal (1973)
Eastern N. America:
United States east of
Mississippi;
Minn. (McLeod)
Ontario and eastern
Canada
western Mexico
Yes (see written description of ranges) Gray (1886), Grehan (1964), Krochmal (1973), McLeod, Turner (1994)
S.E. United States
AL AR DE DC GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV
FL (possibly - only northern)
TX & AZ (Krochmal)
Yes (Fairly Abundant/Scattered in most) Krochmal (1973), Grehan (1964), Gray (1886)
Southern Appalacian:AL GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV Widespread Gray (1886), Grehan (1964), Krochmal (1973)
Coastal Plain No info, but probably Ben Turnage
Piedmont Yes, fairly widespread Ben Turnage,
UGA Herbarium
Blue Ridge Mts. No Info, but probably marginal Ben Turnage
Ridge and Valley Yes
(abundant in
cedar glade communities)
Bartgis (1993)
Cumberland Plateau Yes UGA Herbarium
Georgia Yes (mainly north/north-central) UGA Herbarium
Clarke Co., GA No Info, but probably Ben Turnage

According to which authority is used, the actual range of M. fistulosa differs. Grehan (1964) claims the range extends as far north as Quebec and eastern Canada over to British Columbia and as far south as Florida. Other texts do not extend the range as far, and place limits in New England states and south to northern Georgia. All agree, however, that the western range extends into Texas and Arizona. One recent journal article places it in northeastern Mexico as well (Turner 1994). On the internet, websites for specific states show that it rarely covers all the counties of the state, but is scattered throughout the counties of the most states. From research, one could guess that it would tend to stick more inland, out of wetter counties, and away from those that are too mountainous or tree-covered, due to their nature of staying below 9000 ft and in drier, sunnier conditions (see the plant's ecological requirements.


Links to sites for specific states appear below. Also, see References

Iowa State Univ. prairie species study
Native Wildflowers of the North Dakota Grasslands
Univ. of Tennessee Botany Department Atlas of Vascular Dicots of Tennessee
Univ. of Arkansas Biodiversity of Arkansas Project
Univ. of Kentucky Wildflowers of Western Kentucky


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