Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata)
Spotted bee balm is an herbaceous and aromatic perennial plant that has a unique and beautiful flower. The native range of this bee balm variety is from eastern Canada through the eastern United Sates into northern Mexico.
Linnaeus named the genus Monarda in honor of a 16th century Spanish physician and botanist, Nicolas Bautista Monardes (1493-1588).
Spotted bee balm is a wonderful companion plant because it attracts many types of pollinators and beneficial insects. We love the sweet, herbal aroma of the flowers and the blooms look stunning in flower arrangements.
As with many types of Monarda, spotted bee balm has a range of medicinal uses.
Origin: We collected the parent seed of our Spotted Bee Balm from wild plants on a trail near Watch Knob Mountain in Swannanoa, NC many years ago.
(Approximately 50 seeds per packet)
Germination rate: 80% - tested 8/30/24
Planting Instructions: Sow a few seeds in a 4 inch pot indoors in mid-winter, barely covering them with soil. Transplant outside in the spring or summer, 6-8 weeks after starting the seeds, spacing plants 12-18" apart in full sun to part shade in a permanent location.
Seeds can also be sown directly in the garden 6-8 weeks before your last frost in spring.
Spotted bee balm generally blooms and forms seeds in the second year.
