Nothing creates a buzz in the garden
like Monarda. Butterflies, hummingbirds and bees are drawn to this aromatic perennial and
its nectar rich flowers - hence its common name, Bee Balm. The foliage of Monarda
has a very strong mint like fragrance and was once used as a tea substitute. The
vibrant, tubular shaped flowers come in shades of red, pink, purple and white and plant
sizes range from a dwarfed 10 inches to as tall as 3 feet. Monarda plants begin
blooming just as summer begins and with regular deadheading will bloom all summer long.
Plants are very easy to grow, being a member of the mint family it is a considered
to be very vigorous.
Growing Monarda Plants:
Monarda prefers to grow in consistently moist soil receiving full sun or afternoon
shade. Plants will grow in partial shade but at the expense of flowering. Soil
should be amended heavily with organic materials such as compost and well rotted manure.
One mistake we often see is overcrowding new plants - space the taller varieties at
least 30 inches apart and the smaller dwarf types (Petite Delight) 12 inches apart.
Feed plants in early spring with a top dressing of composted manure and bone
meal, feed again in mid summer with a compost tea or fish emulsion drench. After
plants have finished flowering an foliage begins to decline cut the plants all the way
back to the ground - this hard pruning will often result in a second round of flowering.
Monardas are very vigorous growers and will need to be divided every three years to keep
them looking their best.
Monarda - Bee Balm
Zones: 4-9
Propagation: division and stem stem cuttings
Problems: Powdery mildew can be a problem see notes
Notes: In hot humid conditions powdery mildew can become a problem.
Plants that stay consistently moist and are never allowed to wilt are less susceptible to
this fungus. If you must spray the plants we recommend the organic approach:
spray all parts of plant including underside of leaves
with a diluted milk mixture = 1 part milk to 4 parts water.
(mo-nar'
da)
