Meet the Bee Balm
Bee Balm | Monarda didyma
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a medium-sized herbaceous perennial.
My bloom is made up of tube-shaped flowers that whorl around the bloom structure at the end of my stems. They have an unruly, fringed look.
My stiff, upright stems are square, with opposite leaves.
Each leaf has a pointed oval shape with a rough texture, fine fuzz, and serrated edges. When crushed, they have a minty fragrance.
The leaves nearest to my flower are often red-tinged.
How big do I grow?: 2’ - 4’ height and 2’ - 3’ spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun to part shade.
Where I prefer to put my roots: Medium to occasionally wet soils. I require moisture and dislike dry soils.
Hardiness: Zone 4-9
Original home: I am native to eastern North America.
Colors: Red and pink.
When I bloom: Mid-summer.
Wildlife friends: A pollinator magnet! I attract bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. I am a larval host for certain moths species and important in supporting some specialized bees.
Flora Fun Facts: My leaves and flowers are edible, and can be used in salads, sauces (like an herb), or steeped as a tea.
More Info: The Bee Balm can look unkempt, with its frilly mop-head flowers swaying atop long stems., but this native plant is a superstar for supporting pollinators.
A member of the Lamiaceae family. Also called Bergamot, due to the similarity of the leaf scent to bergamot orange.
Deadheading flowers can extend the bloom period.
Native Americans and early colonists used this plant to treat colds, stomachaches, and bee stings.
Bee Balm will naturally spread through self-seeding and underground stolons to form colonies. Thinning out these colonies helps to prevent overcrowding and provide air circulation to a plant that often gets fungal leaf diseases (like powdery mildew).
A great plant selection for a perennial border, rain garden, meadow planting, herb garden, or naturalized area along a pond or stream.
