The winter hardy Scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma), also known under the name Gold Melissa, Horsemint, Bee balm or Monarda fistulosa, is performing well in every summer garden. The Indians in North America knew of and recognized the healing effects of the labiates. These days, the graceful shrub is primarily being used as an ornamental shrub because of its enchanting, aromatic scent in the respective garden and is suited to be used as a bee pasture in natural gardens.
| Common name | Beebalm, Bee Balm, Bee-balm, Bergamont, Crimson Bee-balm, Horsemint, Oswego Tea, Scarlet Bee Balm |
| Botanical name | Monarda didyma |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Species | didyma |
| Origin | Eastern North America |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Plant type | Edible |
| Hardiness zone | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 |
| Sunlight | Full Sun |
| Maintenance | Medium |
| Soil condition | Clay |
| Soil ph | Acid |
| Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Growth rate | Medium |
| Spacing | 12 in. – 3 ft. |
| Harvest time | Fall |
| Flowering period | Fall |
| Height | 2 ft. – 4 ft. |
| Width | 2 ft. – 4 ft. |
| Flower color | Burgundy, Red |
| Leaf color | Green |
| Fruit color | Brown, Copper |
| Stem color | Green |
| Fruit type | Capsule |
| Leaf benefit | Fragrant |
| Flower benefit | Edible |
| Garden style | Butterfly Garden |
| Uses | Naturalized Area |
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Monarda didyma, the crimson beebalm, scarlet beebalm, scarlet monarda, Eau-de-Cologne plant, Oswego tea, or bergamot, is an aromatic herb in the family Lamiaceae, native to eastern North America from Maine west to Ontario and Minnesota, and south to northern Georgia. Its odor is considered similar to that of the bergamot orange, which is used to flavor Earl Grey tea. The genus name comes from Nicolas Monardes, who described the first American flora in 1569.
M. didyma is a perennial plant that grows to 0.6–1.2 metres (2–4 feet) in height and spreads 0.4–0.6 m (1+1⁄2–2 ft). The medium to deep green leaves are 7–15 centimetres (3–6 inches) long, shaped ovate to ovate-lanceolate, with serrate margins, placed opposite on square, hollow stems. The leaves have a minty fragrance when crushed.
It has ragged, bright red tubular flowers 3–4 cm (1–1+1⁄2 in) long, borne on showy heads of about 30 together, with reddish bracts. It grows in dense clusters along stream banks, moist thickets, and ditches, blooming for about 8 weeks from early/mid to late summer.
This plant attracts hummingbirds and is a larval host to the hermit sphinx, orange mint moth, and the raspberry pyrausta.
II. How to Grow and Care
Bee balm is an easy plant to care for as long as the soil is kept moist and well-drained. or (if you want to encourage spreading) leave them to drop from the seed heads as winter food for passing birds.
Sunlight
Though bee balm can handle partial shade, it thrives best if it receives at least six hours of full sun daily. Too much shade is known to make the plant leggy and can often reduce the number or vibrancy of its blooms. However, bee balm plants grown in hotter, dry climates will do best if sheltered from the afternoon sun.
Temperature and Humidity
Bee balm is not particularly picky about its temperature or humidity conditions, so long as it’s planted within its proper USDA zone range (zones 3 to 9). It prefers relatively dry atmospheric conditions, good air circulation, and water at ground level to reduce diseases. However, though bee balms are hardy and handle very color or very hot temperatures, high humidity can increase the incidence of disease.
Watering
Bee balm is a moisture-loving plant and enjoys having consistently damp soil. Because of this, depending on your climate and area, you should plan to water the plant at least weekly, never allowing the soil to dry out. It’s especially important to maintain a proper watering cadence in the plant’s first year, as that allows it to establish a solid root system. The standard garden practice of offering 1 inch of water per week will work fine for bee balm. To prevent problems with powdery mildew, water at ground level and avoid getting the foliage wet.
Soil
For your bee balm to thrive, you should plant it in soil that is rich, moist, and has a pH level of 6.0 to 7.0. Most garden soils are entirely adequate for bee balm. If necessary, poor soil can be amended with compost or manure to enrich it, loosen it up, and make it more amenable to growing bee balm. You can also add a layer of mulch atop your soil to ensure this shallow-rooted plant stays moist.
Fertilizing
Though it’s unnecessary for the plant’s success, you can feed your bee balm plants with a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer each spring for an added dose of nutrition. Be wary of over-fertilizing, as this can reduce flowering. Follow the product label instructions for the proper amount to use.
Planting Instructions
Plant container-grown bee balm in the spring or fall. Plant your starts about 18 to 24 inches apart and keep the soil evenly moist while the plant establishes itself during the growing season.
If you want to start bee balm plants from seeds, sow indoors about 8 weeks before the last frost. To plant seeds directly in your garden, wait until the weather is reliably warm. Sow your seeds on the surface of the soil and don’t cover them with topsoil. Once the seeds begin to root, add a layer of mulch to keep the soil moist. When the plants are established, you can thin out extra seedlings until the plants are about 18 to 24 inches apart.
Pruning
Bee balm lovers often embrace the wild, cottage feel of the plant, but it should still be periodically pruned.
If the plants become badly affected by powdery mildew late in the season, to the point of being unsightly, then you can cut the stems back to ground level. This will not affect the health of the plant, and it will return with full vigor next spring.
If you want to attract songbirds to your garden, leave the seed heads on the plant through winter for snacking. Then cut back the stems in late winter/early spring.
Light, yearly pruning keeps this plant bushy. Simply pinch off the tips of the stems in the spring. Cut the bee balm down to a few inches in the fall to promote new growth in the spring.
Propagation
Bee balm can be propagated through division and cuttings. However, division is the easiest propagation method for this plant. This will also help to keep the plant healthy and full and should be done every few years. To do this, you will need a shovel, a pair of garden snips, compost or fertilizer, and gloves. Then follow the instructions below, depending on the propagation method you choose.
To propagate by division:
When you see new stems emerging from the ground, it signals a good time for division.
- Using the shovel, dig up the entire root system and gently lift the plant from the ground.
- Using a sharp knife, divide the clump into multiple sections. Each section should have at least two or three shoots and a good root system.
- If the center of the plant is woody and scraggly, remove it and discard it.
- Amend the soil with compost or well-balanced fertilizer.
- Replant the pieces immediately where you want new plants to grow, and water well.
- Keep the new plants well-watered for the first year of growth.
To propagate through cuttings:
You will need a pair of snips, rich soil, a small pot, rooting hormone, a plastic bag, and a rubber band. Then follow these instructions:
- In the spring and with sterilized snips, trim a cutting of new growth around 6 inches long. Trim below a node.
- Remove the lower leaves.
- Dip the cut end into rooting hormone and gently plant it into rich soil.
- Water the cutting, then place the plastic bag over the cutting to retain moisture. Secure it to the pot with a rubber band.
- Check the soil regularly, keeping it moist.
- Roots should appear in two or three weeks. When this happens, remove the plastic bag.
To propagate from seed:
You can also grow bee balm from seeds. You can harvest the seeds in the fall after the flowers bloom, but be aware that if your seeds come from a hybrid bee balm plant, the new plant may not look or perform the same. To start seeds indoors (about 8 weeks before the last frost), place four or five seeds on the surface of a commercial potting mix in a small pot or seedling tray. Cover seeds with a sprinkling of more potting mix. Spritz the seeds with water and place your pot under lights or in a sunny window. Keep the soil moist as the roots begin to develop and plant your starts in the ground after the last frost has passed.
Potting and Repotting
Although container culture is not common, bee balm is sometimes grown in large 5- to 10-gallon containers by gardeners who want to attract butterflies or hummingbirds to a patio garden. Resin plastic makes a good pot material, though any container with plenty of drainage holes will suffice. Fill it with a standard potting mix blended with additional compost, then plant the bee balm in the center of the pot.
Miniature varieties often work best for container culture. Place the pot in a sunny location and water whenever the top inch of soil gets dry.
Potted bee balm plants should be left outdoors for the winter but they should be moved to a sheltered location, such as a cold frame, an unheated porch, or a garage. It is possible to move a potted bee balm indoors for the winter, but don’t expect it to bloom. Bee balm does not make a good permanent houseplant, as it goes dormant each winter.
Since bee balm is such a fast grower, these plants will need to be repotted or divided often, possibly every year to prevent them from becoming root bound in the pot. To repot, gently loosen the root system until it slides out of the pot. Amend a new, larger pot with rich soil and plant the bee balm. Water thoroughly.
Overwintering
After frost kills the plants in the fall or winter, cut back all stems to about 2 inches from the ground. Debris should be thrown away rather than added to compost heaps, to prevent fungal spores from persisting. No other winter protection is needed in most regions, though gardeners in climates with extremely cold winters may want to mulch the crown to protect the roots from freeze-thaw cycles.
Pests and Diseases
Bee balm can be affected by a variety of minor pests, though infestations are rarely serious—possibly because this member of the mint family has a scent that naturally repels insects. Pests may include spider mites, aphids, and stalk borers.
By far the biggest problem with bee balm is powdery mildew, a fungal disease that causes a powdery white or gray residue on leaves and buds. An environment with humid nights and coolish days attracts this fungus. If your plants succumb to powdery mildew after you have enjoyed the flowers for a while, trim them back to the ground and properly dispose of the cut growth. Alternatively, if your bee balm plants come down with powdery mildew too early, and cutting the plants down is out of the question, spray them with a commercial or homemade fungicide. Repeated applications, beginning early, will be necessary to fully control the mildew.
To avoid powdery mildew in the first place, keep bee balm spaced at least 2 feet apart from one another for excellent air circulation. Water at the base of the plant rather than spraying overhead to avoid raising the humidity level in the plant’s crown. Plant foliage tends to decline after flowering, especially if powdery mildew sets in.
Bee balm is also susceptible to rust fungus that can disfigure the leaves. Control rust with spray fungicides if the disease is severe.
III. Uses and Benefits
- Ornamental uses
Crimson beebalm is extensively grown as an ornamental plant, both within and outside its native range; it is naturalized further west in the United States and also in parts of Europe and Asia.
- Medicinal uses
Bee Balm has a long history of use as a medicinal plant by many Native Americans, including the Blackfoot. The Blackfoot people recognized this plant’s strong antiseptic action, and used poultices of the plant for skin infections and minor wounds. An herbal tea made from the plant was also used to treat mouth and throat infections caused by dental caries and gingivitis. Beebalm is a natural source of the antiseptic thymol, the primary active ingredient in modern commercial mouthwash formulas. The Winnebago used an herbal tea made from bee balm as a general stimulant. It was also used as a carminative herb by Native Americans to treat excessive flatulence. The Native Americans of Oswego, New York, made the leaves into a tea, giving the plant one of its common names.
Buy Plants
[content-egg-block template=offers_logo_shipping cols_order=3,2,1,5,4 hide=badge visible=number border_color=info limit=8]