As with Echinacea, the hybridizers have been working with the Bee Balms. New colors have been created, each one offering us even more of these treasured American classics.
About the Monardas This is a hybrid of the famous American wildflower with the bright red crown-shaped flowers, a description of the large scarlet blooms everyone and every hummingbird loves.
There are other species, but our famous Monarda or Bee Balm is native from the far north all the way south to Georgia, it was first discovered by world famous plant explorer John Bartram during the colonial era. Since its a member of the mint family with fragrant foliage, Bee Balm was always a medicinal plant of the native Americans, and today adds wonderful color to perennial gardens and wildflower meadows. Its a strong-growing perennial that likes moisture, and will grow in sun or partial shade.
As with all Bee Balms, the bloom begins in mid-summer, and if you cut off spent flowers for about three weeks, you'll extend the blooming into fall.
More InformationSKU | AM014692 |
Item Package Size | Plant - 3" Pot |
Common Name | Blue Stocking Bee Balm, Bergamot, Oswego Tea |
Botanical Name | Monarda didyma Blue Stocking |
Zones | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 |
Light Requirements | Full Sun, Half Sun / Half Shade |
Flower Color | Purple |
Flower Size | 2-3" flowers |
Mature Height | 24-36" tall |
Estimated Mature Spread | 12-18" wide |
Growth Rate | Fast |
Bloom Time | Mid to late summer |
Planting Depth | Crown of plant should rest just at or above the soil surface after watering in. |
Ships As | Potted Plant |
Foliage | Green toothed leaves grow from upright stems. |
Soil Type | Loamy Soil, Clay Soil, Moist/Wet Soil |
Soil Moisture | Average, Moist / Wet, Well Draining |
Tolerates | Dry Sites |
Advantages | Attract Butterflies, Attract Hummingbirds, Bee Friendly, Deer Resistant, Rabbit Resistant, Native, Fragrant Flower / Foliage, Good For Cut Flowers, Extended Bloom Time (more than 4 weeks), Great For Mass Plantings, Multiplies / Naturalizes |
Ideal Region | Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, West, Southwest, Pacific Northwest |
Planting Time | Spring / Summer |
Neonicotinoid Free | |
Ships to Hawaii, Alaska & Canada | No |