Compact Bee Balm (Monarda) – Leading Lady

Dress up the front of your garden with the fragrant blooms of Leading Lady Plum and Lilac bee balm.

Our native bee balm can be big and a bit rangy for home gardens. The compact Leading Lady series brings this plant down to size and has a tidier habit better suited for smaller lots, containers and the front of perennial gardens. Place plants in a location where you can enjoy the fragrant flowers and the hummingbirds, butterflies and bees that come to visit.

The lilac or plum flowers appear in early through mid summer. Cut a few flowers to enjoy indoors or share with a friend.

These compact bee balms are hardy in zones 4 through 8 and grow 10 to 14 inches tall and 12 to 24 inches wide. Plant them in full sun to light shade with consistently moist soil for best results.

This cultivar is considered moderately tolerant of powdery mildew.

A bit more information: Reduce the risk of powdery mildew by growing this and other bee balm cultivars in full sun at the proper spacing. Mulch the soil to keep it consistently moist and water thoroughly during extended dry periods.