Flowering bee balm (Monarda) in the garden
Planting, Growing, and Caring for Bee Balm Flowers
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Bee balm is a native perennial that flowers in summertime. This plant is beloved by hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies! Learn how to plant and grow bee balm flowers—a great addition to a pollinator garden.
About Bee Balm
Bee balm (Monarda spp.), also called wild bergamot, is known for its attractive scarlet flowers that bloom in the summertime and its fragrant foliage. In June and July, slender, tubular flowers are produced in 2—to 3-inch-wide flower heads. Flower colors include white, pink, red, lavender, and purple.
In the garden, its most frequent visitors are hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies because they have the long tongues required to reach the tubular flowers’ nectar. Bumblebees and a few other insects are too big to get into some of the smaller tubular flowers of some bee balms, so the insects practice something called “nectar robbing.” The insects punch a tiny hole at the base of the flower to access the nectar, bypassing the flower’s pollen and “robbing” it of its nectar. Find more flowers that are great for bees.
The seed heads also attract birds in the fall and winter. Learn more about plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Given its height (2-4 feet), bee balm makes for an excellent background plant in a flower bed. Consider it as part of a pollinator garden!
Check out this video to learn more about the benefits of growing bee balm:
- Monarda didyma is bright red and grows 3 to 4 feet tall.
- M. didyma varieties that are resistant to powdery mildew include ‘Marshall’s Delight’ (bright pink), ‘Jacob Cline’ (deep red), and ‘Raspberry Wine’ (dark red).
- M. fistulosa produces lavender-pink blooms in late summer; tolerant of dry soils; commonly called “wild bergamot.”
- M. pringlei grows 18 inches tall and is immune to powdery mildew. ‘Petite Wonder’ and ‘Petite Delight’ are pink varieties.
Catherine Boeckmann
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I planted Red bee balm a couple years ago, this year it is Purple. Can you tell me why it is not Red.
If the petals are purple, it’s probably reverting to its wild form. Hybrids are unpredictable, and will sometimes show traits from their genetic heritage. Enjoy whatever color shows up!
I have to say that bee balm in ultra violet is simply gorgeous. I am planting the red bee balm
for the first time. I am sure I will love it. Have lots of bees where I live in florida.
You mention that Bee Balm seedheads provide food for birds in the fall and winter, yet you say that we are to cut it back to 2 inches after first frost. Why cut it back? Why not leave it for the birds to eat the seeds? Just wondering. Thanks
It mostly comes down to personal preference! If you don’t like the look of the dried seedheads in winter, then you can cut them down. Otherwise, they make for a nice snack for some bird species.
Leaving them also allows them to seed themselves, so if you don’t the plants to spread at all, that could be another reason for chopping them down in the fall.
Bee Balm grows wild here in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. We also call it horse mint. The wild variety that we have is only the lavender color.
I think some people do not get Bee Balm Blooms is because the crown of the plant gets too compacted; the flowers do not bloom; try dividing the root crown as the other poster says;
The reason Bee Balm is called Wild Bergamot is Bee Balm has the aroma Bergamot oranges; Bee Balm is not Bergamot; Bergamot oranges are used to make Bergamot Tea;
Bee balm (crown) die. The main roots will sprout tiny plants during growing season, dormant season (sometimes). I've dug up in early spring and transplanted ( even separating the individual plants along the root).
I planted Bee Balm and it grew great for 3 yrs. Had lots of bees, but last year it did not come back. Does the plants only last for so many years?
