Monarda is native to eastern North America. It's endangered in some areas.
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) 'Jacob Cline' is an attractive cultivar, bearing bright red blossoms in mid to late summer. Like most Monardas, it prefers moist soil. Keep thinned out to prevent mildew. In my zone 7a garden, 'Jacob Cline' got leaf burn in too much sun, so I have kept it in a part-shade spot, where it has bloomed. It probably would do well with only morning sun in hotter summer climates.
Gorgeous color. May be cut in half at 12" for more compact plants. Needs good air circulation. If bothered by mildew (usually after bloom), cut back to healthy growth. Spreads via rhizomes, which are easily pulled out and can be used to start new clumps and to also avoid overcrowding. This is a great plant to have 3-5 clumps of around your yard so your eye will move from one to the other. Pairs well with other vibrant mid-summer blooms. Without any pruning, mine easily reach 4' in height. I'm somewhat confused by the 'red' bloom color in the database; this is clearly a hot fuschia pink to me. No worries, though, the photos speak for themselves.
This plant is a native wildflower here in North Texas & is a great nectar plant for many insects!
Monarda fistulosa has special value to native and bumble bees. It attracts a variety of bee species including longhorned, cuckoo, green sweat, wool carder, small resin, leafcutter, and black sweat bees. It is also reportedly an excellent browsing plants for bumble bees.
Dotted Beebalm is native to the eastern part of North America and is a shrubby perennial reaching heights of three to four feet. Monarda punctata prefers a location of full sun but in the deep south enjoys a little shade from intense direct sunlight. This plant is a butterfly attractant and blooms from summer to frost.
Can grow as an Annual, Biennial or Perennial.
Self-seeds, and can spread if you aren't careful to pull up seedlings in the spring. I suggest planting it somewhere it won't get overcrowded too quickly. Bees, wasps, butterflies, and hummingbirds all flock to this flower!
This is my only Beebalm with no mildew, ever. Check out the review at Mt. Cuba. Amazing plant. That is all.
Horsemint (Monarda bradburiana), native to the south central United States, is best grown in part sun. Unlike most Monardas, it seems to prefer medium to dry soil. Monarda bradburiana has special value to native bees and bumble bees and, like other Monarda, is attractive to hummingbirds. M. bradburiana also reportedly has some mildew resistance.
