Bee Balm

Bee Balm Plant - Monarda

Bee Balm is one of the most famous native flowering perennials for butterfly and pollinator garden and landscaping work․ Its unique flower and long season of bloom provide many butterflies‚ hummingbirds‚ and bees found in a garden with pollen and nectar throughout the flowering season․

As an ornamental perennial‚ it provides texture and movement and season-long interest in the flower bed or border (and in naturalized plantings)‚ with its upright flowers towering over the showy foliage to provide an unexpected splash of color during the summer․

Growing Bee Balm

Bee Balm grows best in sunny locations in the garden․ It is a good clump-forming perennial with a flexible location within the landscape․ The plant will form returning clumps if successful․

Present in many cultivars‚ this plant is ideal for pollinator gardens‚ cottage gardens‚ perennial borders‚ and naturalized plantings‚ providing attractive flowers and nectar resources for a variety of pollinator species․

Bee balm: A Must-Have Perennial for Pollinator Gardens

Few native herbaceous perennials do a better job of providing both beauty and wildlife value to the garden over the course of a summer or fall season than Bee Balm․

Whether you are planting a pollinator or native garden‚ or just want to add late summer color to your landscape‚ Bee Balm is a proven choice‚ flowering from early summer until frost and favored by both gardeners and wildlife․

Buy Bee Balm Online and Create a Garden Filled with Color and Pollinator Activity

Scientific name: Monarda․ Bee balm (sometimes called monarda) are perennial plants that have bright red‚ pink‚ purple‚ or mauve flowers․ Common names include horse mint‚ bergamot‚ and Oswego tea․ Bee balm is highly attractive to pollinators‚ and can be an attractive addition to any pollinator garden․ As sustainable garden designs gain in popularity‚ those seeking to include native plants‚ such as bee balm‚ in their gardens will need to understand more about this plant's requirements and role in order to benefit from its many natural attributes․

One of the great benefits of bee balm is that it grows well near other companion plants‚ such as catmint‚ lavender‚ and echinacea․ This produces both visual and health benefits for companion plants grown near bee balm․ Companion plants have other helpful qualities‚ like attracting helpful insects or improving the condition of the plant or flower․ For instance‚ lavender is said to repel some insect pests with its fragrance․ Thus‚ bee balm can be used as a companion plant to lavender․ Companion plants can also create microhabitat spaces that are better protected from predators‚ particularly for pollinators like bees‚ butterflies‚ and other insects․

Bee Balm is Drought-Tolerant and Hardy in Most Zones

Bee balm plants require regular irrigation and prefer well-drained soil that is neither excessively wet nor dry․ In dry weather‚ sufficient watering is required․ Bee balm prefers to be watered thoroughly but less often‚ allowing the soils to dry out between watering․ This encourages deeper roots‚ giving plants access to more water during drought conditions․ Bee balm also benefits from being deadheaded throughout the flowering season to encourage new blooms and prevent the plant becoming leggy‚ or tall and thin․ Organic mulch applied annually around the plants can be used to help retain moisture in the soil‚ suppress weeds‚ and add organic matter to the soil as it decomposes․

This Warm Blooming Perennial Makes a Great Companion Plant

Bee balm is a great addition to any garden‚ and finding the right bee balm companion plants and understanding how to take care of the flower will ensure it works as part of the garden and also helps attract certain pollinators that it needs to survive․ Even though there are many aspects to bee balm that can reflect positively on native gardening‚ the need for native plants cannot be overstated․ Bee balm can be used as a stepping stone to creating a garden that is diverse‚ allows sustainability‚ and allows one to enjoy all the colors and fragrances that the plant itself has to offer․