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Eastern bee balm
 by By Roy Diblik - posted 03/21/14


Here eastern bee balm is painted with moor grass (Midinia caerulea) and lesser calamint (Calamintha nepta; syn. Clinopodium nepeta).

Common Name: Eastern bee balm

Botanical Name: Monarda bradburiana

Type of Plant: Perennial, hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 8

Color: Lavender pink

Blooming Period: Early June through mid-July

Exposure: Full sun to part shade

Size: 12 to 24 inches tall and wide

When to Plant: Throughout the growing season

Soil: Average to slightly dry soil; I planted this in my gravel garden, where it is doing well.

Watering: Keep moist until established. Thereafter, does not need supplemental watering.

When to fertilize: Needs no commercial fertilizer. Nutrients can be provided by mulching with leaf compost every two to three years.

In Your Landscape: Grow it with prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis), Salvia ‘Wesuwe’, Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’ and blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis).

From Wisconsin Gardening Volume II Issue III. Photo courtesy of Roy Diblik.

 

Nationally known plantsman, lecturer and garden designer Roy Diblik is co-owner of Northwind Perennial Farm in Burlington, Wis., and author of Roy Diblik’s Small Perennial Gardens, the Know Maintenance™ Approach.

 

 

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