Bee balm

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; flowering is strongest in sun if the soil stays moist. Light afternoon shade helps in hot climates.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist, especially during establishment and summer dry spells. Avoid prolonged waterlogging.

Soil

Humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil with reasonable drainage; tolerates clay if it does not remain saturated. Slightly acidic to neutral soil is ideal.

Height

2-4 ft (0.6-1.2 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m), spreading farther over time by underground rhizomes

Flowers

Early to late summer; the species has scarlet-red tubular flowers in dense, shaggy heads. Named selections and hybrids may have pink, purple or white flowers.

Foliage

Opposite, toothed, dark green leaves on square stems; leaves have a strong herbal scent when crushed.

Growth

Fast in moist, fertile soil.

Care needed

Medium

• Water deeply during dry weather rather than allowing the soil to dry out completely.
• Apply a thin layer of compost in spring; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding, which encourages floppy growth.
• Mulch with 2 in (5 cm) of organic material, keeping it clear of emerging shoots.
• Leave space between clumps for airflow, and water the soil rather than the leaves.
• Support tall stems early if they lean in exposed positions.
• Divide every two to three years, replanting vigorous outer sections and removing unwanted runners.

Pruning. Remove faded flower heads to encourage further bloom. Cut dead stems to ground level in late winter or early spring; remove badly mildewed growth in autumn instead of leaving it standing.

Early spring

Cut down old stems before new shoots become tall.

Spring

Plant or divide clumps, water them in thoroughly, and add compost and mulch.

Late spring

Install supports where needed and remove runners growing into neighbouring plants.

Summer

Water during dry spells and check leaves for powdery mildew.

Summer to early autumn

Remove faded flower heads for repeat flowering, or leave some seed heads for wildlife.

Autumn

Remove badly diseased foliage; leave healthy stems standing for winter habitat.

• Plant in groups through the middle of a mixed border for a strong summer patch of red.
• Combine with purple coneflowers and black-eyed Susans in a sunny pollinator border.
• Use beside a pond or in a moist rain-garden margin, above areas that remain waterlogged.
• Mix with switchgrass and Joe-Pye weed in a loose, naturalistic planting where spreading is welcome.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, New perennial (prairie), Wildlife garden, Pollinator garden and Hot border.

Plant it with: Purple coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Switchgrass, Joe-Pye weed and Garden phlox.

Wildlife: The flowers feed bumblebees and other long-tongued bees, butterflies and, in North America, hummingbirds. Standing stems provide shelter for insects, and some birds take the seeds.

• Powdery mildew causes a white coating on leaves, especially in crowded or drought-stressed clumps. Keep roots moist, improve spacing, remove infected debris and choose mildew-resistant selections when replacing plants.
• Dry soil causes wilting, scorched leaf edges and early leaf loss. Water deeply and mulch; move plants out of very hot, dry positions.
• Persistent winter wet can rot the crown. Improve drainage or move the plant to a raised position rather than a saturated hollow.
• Vigorous rhizomes can crowd neighbouring plants, while older clumps may become bare in the centre. Divide regularly, discard tired centres and dig out surplus runners.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. Leaves and flowers are used in teas and small culinary quantities; eating a large amount of plant material may still cause digestive upset.

Where it spreads. Can spread aggressively by underground rhizomes in moist garden beds in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and cooler parts of Australia. This garden-spreading habit is not the same as a formal invasive-species listing; divide clumps and remove runners where space is limited.

• Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

  Usually has pale lavender to pink flowers rather than scarlet and tolerates drier soil. Garden hybrids between monarda species can blur these differences.

• Lemon bee balm (Monarda citriodora)

  Usually grown as an annual, with several tiers of lavender-pink flower whorls up each stem and distinctly lemon-scented leaves; scarlet bee balm is perennial and generally has a prominent terminal flower head.

Monarda honours the Spanish physician and botanist Nicolás Monardes, while bee balm refers to the plant's traditional use for soothing bee stings.

Propagation. Divide established clumps in spring, retaining healthy roots and shoots. Sow seed in spring; seed from named selections or plants growing near other monardas may not produce plants matching the parent. Use division to preserve a particular plant's characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Monarda didyma

In the US and Canada

Native in Canada and the lower 48 states.

Native range

Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Masachusettes, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.