#Bee balm plant information full#

The innumerable pollinators and beneficial insects that Bee Balm attracts are a huge bonus to the vegetable garden. Vegetable Garden CompanionĮspecially tomatoes, squash, and beans are helped by growing close to Bee Balm. The aromatic foliage, entertaining visitors, and upright sturdiness of Bee Balm embellish this garden style. The trifecta of beauty, usefulness and ease of care make Bee Balm the perfect plant to infiltrate the Cottage Garden.īee Balm delights the cottage garden scene with peace and charm. With a long history of medicinal and edible uses, Bee Balm also shares similar growth habits and harvest times to many herb garden plants. Happy in the Herb Gardenīee Balm is a graceful addition to the moist end of the herb garden.Įxtensively useful, Bee Balm grows beautifully alongside other herb garden favorites such as peppermint, parsley, and lemon balm. Pinch young plants in spring to encourage side shoots for fuller, bushier plants and more flowers.Īfter the first flush of flowers in summer, diligent deadheading will extend the Bee Balm bloom season. Vivacious Bloomer Exceeds Expectations with Diligent Deadheadingīee Balm, like many plants of the mint family, develops terminal blossoms, or flowers at the top end of stems. Indulge further into the Valentine color scheme with scarlet red native bee balm, Monarda didyma, and its cultivars, or dive into purple with varieties like Monarda ‘Balmy Purple’. Scarlet, Red, Purple, and Lavender Varieties Too! Pink cultivars abound including the clear bright ‘Pardon My Pink’ variety, the bicolor pink ‘Leading Lady Orchid’ from the Leading Lady series, or the hot pink ‘Cherry Pops’ from the Sugar Buzz® series.

Pretty in PinkĪ nod to the romantically inclined, Bee Balm blooms in a myriad of pinks to complement your pink perennials.

Share divided Bee Balm plants throughout your garden, with neighbors, and gardening friends and family. In moist, sunny locations, Bee Balm plants are a long-living flowering perennial.īee Balm plants form colonies by spreading their underground root system and by seeds.ĭividing Bee Balm plants helps to invigorate plants as their center dies out after 3 to 5 years. These strong perennials love being planted in the fall, which gives Bee Balm a healthy start for next summer’s flower show. Summer Bloomer that You Can Plant Spring or FallĪs a summer bloomer, Bee Balm can be planted in spring and may blossom in the first year. Truly a boon for wildlife, but incredibly, Bee Balm is dodged by deer and rabbits.ĭeer-resistant perennials like Bee Balm suffer less deer damage and they may help protect more vulnerable plants by discouraging deer visits. Insect-eating birds and beneficial insects such as ladybugs thrive when Bee Balm is burgeoning. In fall, Bee Balm’s nutlets attract many seed-eating birds like sparrows, goldfinches, and redpolls. Wild Looking Wildlife Championīee Balm’s flamboyant shaggy flowers attract and support wildlife including nectar-loving hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. The monarda genus was named way back in 1574 by Spanish botanist, Nicolas Monardes, who described plants of the New World.

Similarly, they have evolved to support indigenous populations of wildlife, birds, butterflies, and native bee species.Īs well, Bee Balm was used by many North American indigenous people as food and medicine. Native plants are exceptionally well adapted to local climates and soil conditions. 15 Reasons To Grow Bee Balm In Your Garden 1. There are nearly limitless bountiful reasons to grow Bee Balm. Sometimes called wild bergamot, Bee Balm’s aromatic leaves smell like bergamot orange oil, the traditional flavoring of Earl Gray Tea.ĭeveloped from several native species, new Bee Balm cultivars have better disease resistance with a more compact growth habit. With vivacious vigorous growth, bee balm spreads through seeds and underground stolons.Īs a member of the mint family, Bee Balm has square stems and fragrant opposite foliage.

#Bee balm plant information full#

This North American native flowering herb is a must-have in the wildlife garden, cottage garden, herb garden, and veggie garden.įor full summer splendor, Bee Balm loves rich, moist soil in full sun.īee Balm’s flaming flowers attract tons of exciting visitors, but deer and rabbits leave it be.