Spotted Bee Balm

Monarda punctata L.

Also called , Horsemint, Spotted Horsemint and Dotted Bee Balm

Spotted Bee Balm is a native herbaceous perennial to the eastern U.S. and typically occurs in full sun areas with dry soil in prairies, sandy areas, rocky woodlands, and coastal plains. It is a clump-forming, mint family member that features branching or simple, square stems which rise typically to 1'-2' tall sometimes 3'-4'. 

Drought tolerant member of the Lamiaceae (mint-square stems) family. Makes excellent cut flowers. Remove spent flowers to improve plant appearance and possibly to prolong bloom. Spreads by runners to form large clumps, but is not considered to be too aggressive.

*Attracts Pollinators*

Linnaeus named the genus Monarda in honor of a 16th century Spanish physician and botanist, Nicolas Bautista Monardes (1493-1588). Monardes never went to the Americas but was able to study medicinal plants in Spain.

The tubular flowers are pale yellow spotted with purple on top of bracts that are white to light purple. Leaves smell like fine Greek oregano. This plant is propagated by seed sown in situ or in pots and transplanted to sandy, well drained soil. It can also be propagated by cuttings of young foliage. Drought tolerant but summer watering can keep plants fresh and blooming longer.

Contains 50 heirloom seeds

*NEW ARRIVAL* for 2022

Planting tips:

Spotted Bee Balm likes sandy soil and full sun! Spotted Bee Balm is drought tolerant and can survive where other members of the Monarda genus cannot.

Sow your seeds directly to the surface of the soil, not covering the seeds with any topsoil.

Bee Balm seeds are known to germinate in roughly 14 to 28 days after sowing.