Bee Balm

Botanical Name

Monarda spp.

Hardiness

Zones 4 to 9

Height

2 to 4 feet

Width

3 feet

Flowers

Summer: scarlet red, pink, white, wine red, purple, violet

Light

Full sun

Soil

Moist, well-drained

Planting & Care

Divide every 3 years to prevent spread of this aggressive perennial
Provide generous spacing and air circulation to help prevent powdery mildew and rust
Do not allow soil to dry out

Problems

Powdery mildew, rust

Varieties

Monarda didyma 'Gardenview Scarlet' - 4', bright scarlet flowers, fairly good mildew resistance
Colrain Red - deep purplish red flowers, good mildew resistance
Marshall's Delight - purplish pink blooms, good mildew resistance
Raspberry Wine - purplish-red flowers, good mildew resistance
Monarda bradburiana - compact native, pale pink flowers spotted with purple, 12-24" tall
Monarda fistulosa - wild bergamot, native found in drier soils of prairies, rocky woods, roadsides and undisturbed fields; lavender flowers atop 2-4' plants
Leading Lady Series - hybrid bee balms that are very compact and earlier blooming than M. didyma cultivars, flowers of bright pink, lavender, purple-pink, raspberry-purple