by Leslie Duthie, Publications Committee Chair
Beebalm (Monarda spp.) is a welcome addition to any perennial border. Its large size and bright flowers are attractive to gardeners and pollinators alike. Hummingbirds find the bright red flowers of red beebalm (Monarda didyma) alluring, bees love it, and 11 species of caterpillars use both beebalm and wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) as a host plant. Not only desirable to wildlife, bee balm is fragrant and is used to create tea and various summer drinks.
Despite its positive qualities, beebalm sometimes gets a bad reputation as being a magnet for powdery mildew, especially in the muggy summer weather of the east coast. This unattractive foliage disease is prominent in gardens that are full, with little air circulation. In open gardens where there is space around the plants, good air movement will help prevent the disease. On the bright side, there are species of beebalm that are not affected by powdery mildew, and there is even one that blooms in spring that is very worthy of further investigation.
Bradbury’s beebalm or eastern beebalm (Monarda bradburiana) is native to the south-central part of the U.S., yet it grows very well and is hardy in the northeast. It’s seen widely in Massachusetts. The plant does not get as large as either red beebalm or wild bergamot—reaching heights of only 12 to 18 inches. The stems are somewhat lax, so it may tend to look as though it is spreading through the garden. The flowers are very showy—a lovely lavender to white tubular flower with deep purple dots. The flowers are found in congested heads, whorled around the stem, similar to other beebalms. In central Massachusetts, the flowers begin blooming in late May and last through mid to late June. After the flowers fade, the deep purple-ish bracts that subtend the flowers remain. The foliage (especially new foliage in spring) is also very attractive. The purple-bronze color allows the foliage to stand out in the garden and adds another attractive characteristic to this plant.
Bradbury’s beebalm grows in average soils, tolerating everything from pretty good garden loam to sandy or rocky soils. In those poorer, gravelly soils, Bradbury’s beebalm may need some additional moisture going into fall and winter in order to survive through the winter season. It is an excellent bloomer, producing many showy flowers. It seems to prefer full sun, but certainly does well in shaded areas as well, tolerating dappled sunlight, but not deep shade. These are all characteristics that make a great garden perennial.
Bradbury’s beebalm (Monarda bradburiana) is becoming more popular in the trade and can be found in many nurseries that carry native plants. It is also easy to grow from seed as the seed does not need cold-moist stratification. Sow it indoors in early spring in order to produce plants that can go into the garden the same summer. Provide extra water for new seedlings to establish and then let them grow. Plants will flower the second season from seed. This plant has plenty of great attributes going for it—good foliage, large, showy flowers, late spring bloom time and it is attractive to pollinators. Happy growing! 