Monarda punctata
I have been on a Monarda kick lately. To me they have many facets: medicinal and culinary herb, pretty color, unusual flower structure, native plant, pollinator friendly, hummingbird favorite, etc., etc., etc. There are 17 species and two of the species, M. didyma and M. fistulosa, have been bred to produce many cultivars for the market. Usually, Monarda prefers moist soil in full sun to partial shade. Most are perennials that spread by rhizomes and can be “assertive” if given optimal conditions. M. didyma is more thuggish than the others.
Monarda didyma
Of all the species, M. didyma is most favored by hummingbirds because of the red, tubular flowers that are arranged in a whorl within a singular inflorescence. This plant was used by Native Americans for culinary and medicinal qualities. In fact, its common name, bee balm, comes from the practice of rubbing the foliage on the skin to alleviate the pain of bee stings. The foliage also can be used to make tea, hence its other common name, Oswego tea. In the 18th century, John Bartram, Philadelphia’s famed botanist, collected the seed in Oswego, New York. The leaves can either flavor a black tea or used as a substitute for traditional English tea, hence its popularity after the Boston tea party. I like using the red flowers to add color to a fruit salad.
Monarda fistulosa
I also planted M. fistulosa and it has thrived and multiplied. The inflorescence is similar to M. didyma but the tubular flowers are purple. My stand is about 3 feet tall. When it bloomed in early summer it provided a nice mass of purple color. This was not a hummingbird magnet, but butterflies liked it and the bees swarmed around the flowers. When the petals eventually fell off, the seed heads remained all summer long to the point that it looked like a different shrub altogether. M. fistulosa is called wild bergamot because its fragrance is similar to true bergamot (Citrus aurantium var. bergamia). Again, the leaves can be used to make tea or flavor a black tea plus the flowers are edible.
I purchased M. punctata (dotted bee balm) for its unique flower structure. The flower heads, which are more of a bleached green color, are stacked on top of each other, reminding me of the Dr. Seuss children’s books. This species is supposed to be resistant to powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that creates a white/gray powdery coating on the foliage in summer and early fall. This does not kill the plants but makes them unsightly and of course it makes it impossible to harvest the leaves for tea.
Monarda bradburiana seedheads (in August)
Last year, I bought M. bradburiana (eastern bee balm) at a plant sale, simply because it was a monarda I had not heard of before. This year it bloomed small flowers and the entire plant remained compact, less than 2 feet tall. The seed heads have stayed on all summer long. It has tolerated this hot summer very well with no signs of powdery mildew.
Early in the spring this year, I purchased two small plants of Monarda austroappalachiana. These are Tennessee natives and are supposed to be white flowered, resistant to powdery mildew, and less than 2 feet tall. The plants have survived but not thrived during this very hot summer so it may be a year or two before I can enjoy their full glory.
Next year I will grow Monarda citriodora (lemon bergamot), which, unlike the others in this article, is an annual. It has stacked purple flower heads and is supposed to be resistant to powdery mildew. I have read that the scent is not really lemon but more like camphor. The leaves can be used for tea and the flowers can be used for dried floral arrangements.
Of course, there are many cultivars of M. didyma at the nurseries, including compact types. As fall approaches, you may find monarda plants on sale as many garden centers need to move their inventory of perennials. Add these to your garden for their multiple uses!
Monarda citriodora
