🌸 Bee Balm (Monarda / Bergamot)
Monarda didyma / Monarda fistulosa
flowers
perennial
Lamiaceae
☀️ Sun
full sun to partial shade
💧 Water
moderate to high
🗺️ Zones
[3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
🧪 Soil pH
6.0-7.5
🪴 Soil Type
rich, moist, well-drained
📏 Spacing
18-24 inches
📐 Height
2-4 feet
⏱️ Maturity
Blooms second year from seed; 90-120 days to flower
🍴 Edible Parts
🍽️ Flowers (salads, garnish, tea , citrusy/minty), leaves (tea, flavoring)
🍽️ Traditional Oswego tea , leaves brewed by Native Americans
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (5)
Attracts bumblebees (excellent eggplant pollinators , they buzz-pollinate)
Attracts beneficial insects; aromatic companion for cottage gardens
Bee balm attracts pollinators that improve tomato fruit set; aromatic oils may repel some pests
Shared growing conditions; pollinator attraction boosts pepper yields
Hummingbirds and bees drawn by bee balm pollinate squash flowers
⚠️ Keep Apart (2)
⚠️ crowded low-growing herbs
⚠️ plants requiring dry soil (lavender, rosemary, sage)
📝 Growing Notes
Spectacular spiky blooms in red, pink, purple, white. Hummingbird, butterfly, and bee MAGNET , true to its name. Mint family , spreads by rhizomes like mint (contain if needed). Aromatic leaves repel some pests.
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
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