When Does Monarda Bloom?

Flowers

• Monarda blooms during July and August with bright, scarlet flowers growing in a whorl-like cluster on top of tall stalks. A collar of red-shaded bracts support the flower clusters. Each stem has only one or two flower clusters. The blooms are about 1 ½ inches long and tubular-shaped with two lips. The top lip is shaped like a hood, and the lower one is composed of three spreading lobes. The red bracts below the flowers are bristly or leafy textured.

Plant Description

• The plant is grown as an annual, biennial or perennial and has a mature height of 3 to 4 feet with a 2- to 3-foot spread. The herbaceous plant has a clump-forming growth habit and dies to the ground in areas with severe winters, resuming growth readily in spring with underground stolons. As characteristic of plants in the mint family, monarda also has square stems.

Foliage

• The 3- to 6-inch-long foliage is dark green with serrated or toothed margins. The opposite leaves are ovate in shape near the base and taper to a sharp point at the tip. Monarda foliage produces a pleasant, citrus-like aroma when crushed. The edible foliage has a variety of uses in the kitchen, serving as a flavoring agent in jellies and as a garnish in salads and deserts. The flowers and leaves are also used in potpourri, reports "Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs."

Cultural Requirements

• Plant bee balm in an area of full to partial sun for best results. Avoid planting in shade, humid or overcrowded sites, as the plant is highly susceptible to powdery mildew. Select a moist, well-drained, fertile soil with a preferred pH of 6.5. The plant thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8. Monarda is not drought-tolerant and requires regular irrigation. Stream banks and moist hardwood forests are its native habitat.