英语听力文摘 English Digest 123、美国薄荷

（单词翻译）

　　English born, John Bartram spent more than thirty years exploring Northeast America in search of new plants. He discovered Asters and Goldenrod and many others, despite numerous inconveniences such as rattlesnakes. Monarda, known also as Bee Balm was one of his finds. It is a member of the mint family and spreads rapidly, but butterflies, hummingbirds¹ and bees are grateful for this, since they find it very enticing² indeed. It is an aromatic³ perennial⁴, with erect⁵ square stems and roots that are easily dislodged when we need to rip some out.
Also known as Bergamot, the leaves are a popular flavor for tea, though the leaves hold no interest at all for grazing deer. It grows in sun or part shade, but is susceptible⁶ to powdery mildew⁷, which while not slowing it down, does make the leaves look less attractive, so cut the plants down once they have bloomed. The blooms are scarlet⁸, purple, pink and white, sometimes shaggy, but vibrant⁹ and appealing both in the garden in a bold clump¹⁰, or in a vase.
Stand the flowers in deep water for a few hours before you arrange them, to extend their vase life. Most of the plants are 36″ tall, but there are some dwarf¹¹ varieties of Monarda and also some claimed to be mildew resistant¹². If you have a lot of space and want a vigorous easy to grow plant that chokes out most weeks, let it naturalize where it won’t be a problem. Otherwise, you must be ruthless to keep it contained.
Asters:紫苑
Goldenrod:秋麒麟草属植物
rattlesnake:响尾蛇
hummingbird:蜂鸟
entice:引诱, 怂恿
aromatic:芳香的
dislodge:逐出; 逐退
rip:废物
Bergamot:佛手柑; 香柠檬
mildew:霉
scarlet:深红色, 猩红
shaggy:多粗毛的; 毛发蓬松的
vibrant:振动的, 振荡的