The Citrus bergamia belongs to the Rutaceae Family, native to the Canary Islands. The tree may grow from 2 - 10 m. tall.  Bergamot doesn't grow in the wild, but instead is cultivated. The long branches are covered with spines. The tree yields small pear-shaped fruit which are not edible but are useful for the oil extracted from the peel/rind.

Bergamot was named after a town in Italy--Bergamo--where Bergamot oil was first marketed. This citrus oil was most commonly used in Italian folk medicine for fevers and other medicinal purposes for many years.