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How to Grow Bee Balm: The Complete Bee Balm Flower Guide

Flowering bee balm (Monarda) in the garden

Photo Credit
Tatyana Mut/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Monarda spp.
Plant Type
Flowers
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Soil pH
Neutral
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Hardiness Zone
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Special Features
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Songbirds

Planting, Growing, and Caring for Bee Balm Flowers

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

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.

bee balm flower with a pollinator, a hummingbird moth
Hummingbird moths love bee balm!

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:

Read Next

Planting

Bee balm performs best in full sun (at least 6 hours). It will grow in partial shade but won’t flower as well and is more susceptible to powdery mildew. Provide moist, well-draining soil with a neutral pH. Amend soil with compost or aged manure, if necessary.

When to Plant Bee Balm

  • Bee balm can be planted in the spring or in the fall.
  • Spring is the best time to divide existing plants and transplant them.

How to Plant Bee Balm

  • Give careful thought to placement. Without good air circulation, the leaves can develop powdery mildew, a fungal disease. (Reduce watering if this appears.) Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart.
  • Water thoroughly at the time of planting.

Growing

  • Keep soil evenly moist throughout the growing season, watering every 7 to 10 days during dry periods. Soak to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Add mulch to preserve moisture and control weeds.
  • Avoid fertilizer in general; apply only a sprinkling of a balanced product in spring, if desired. An excess can promote rampant leaf growth and powdery mildew.
  • Deadhead faded blooms to encourage the plant to re-bloom in late summer. Deadheading the main stem allows the side shoots to develop and bloom. These, too, can be cut when flowers reach the size you want.
  • After the first frost in the fall, leave seed heads for the birds or cut stems back to about 2 inches above the soil. (See local frost dates.)
  • Divide every 2 to 3 years to ensure its vigor. (Clumps tend to die out from the center.)

Types

  • 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.

pink bee balm flowers

Harvesting

Bee balm is a lovely cut flower. The leaves are aromatic, which adds interest to an indoor arrangement. Cut the main stem flower just as it begins to open up. The plant’s side shoots will continue to develop and bloom. The side shoots can be cut for indoor enjoyment, too. Its vase life is 7 days.

Gardening Products

Pests/Diseases

Diseases: southern blight, fungal leaf spot, powdery mildew, rust
Pests: aphids, spider mites, stalk borers, thrips

Wit and Wisdom

  • The common name of bee balm is in reference to its former use to treat bee stings!
  • Native Americans and early colonists used bee balm leaves and flowers to make a variety of medicinal salves and drinks.
  • The Native American word for a river in New York became part of the name of a bee balm drink: Oswego tea.
  • Bee balm is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae). Its foliage has a strong aroma and is sometimes used in herbal teas, salads, and as garnishes. The flowers are also edible.
  • Although called “wild bergamot,” bee balm is not used in “bergamot” (Earl Grey) tea, which is made with oils extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange, a citrus fruit.

Flowers
About The Author
Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the website companion of The Old Farmer's Almanac. She covers gardening, plants, pest control, soil composition, seasonal and moon c...
Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Sheila</span> Wed, 07/04/2018 - 14:37
Hello! What should I do if the flowers are turning brown and drying out? Am I watering too much? Not enough? One of the Bee Balm that I planted has the fungus -- does the spray work?
<span>David Rawlings</span> Mon, 02/11/2019 - 04:30
We planted a bergamot plant last year in our back garden. It did quite well. I cut the shoots down as recommended. Now I am wondering if the plant is actually still alive. I hope so as it was given to my wife and I by our son ! I can't see any buds or other signs of life on the shoots Will these come later when the weather gets warmer ? Should I add some compost round the base of the plant and or give it some water ? Any advice you can give me on caring for our bergamot - possibly monardi- will be most welcome. We have a flowering currant nearby and it is covered in buds and small roses that have grown lots of leaves, but the bergamot shows no sign of life !
<span>Chris</span> Mon, 02/25/2019 - 23:35
David, bergamot is a mint family plant and like other mints it dies back completely in winter in cold areas and regrows from the root as the soil warms up in spring. If your plant was vigorous going into winter it's very likely your plant will come back just before your last frost in the spring.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 07/09/2018 - 17:49

Is it possible the flower heads are just done? Prompt removal of the spent flower heads will prolong the bloom period.

Bee balms like an even supply of moisture during the growing season. For best performance, water bee balms every 7 to 10 days during dry periods. When watering, soak the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Applying a mulch around the plants will help to conserve soil moisture and reduce the frequency of watering.

These flowers do indeed get powdery mildew, a fungal disease. What you'll see in this case is a "powder" on the upper leaf surfaces and lots of leaf drop.

To avoid this issue, 1. plant in full sun, 2. space plants 1 1/2 to 2 feet apart, 3. divide plants every 2 to 3 years and 4. water during dry periods. Also, remove and destroy disease-infested plant debris in the fall. The fungal spores of powdery mildew survive the winter on disease-infested plant debris. The removal and destruction of this material removes the source of next year's infection.

Finally, buy mildew-resistant varieties. Varieties that possess good mildew resistance include 'Marshall's Delight' (bright pink flowers), 'Gardenview Scarlet' (scarlet-red flowers), 'Violet Queen' (violet-blue flowers), 'Raspberry Wine'(wine-red flowers), and 'Colrain Red' (purplish red flowers).