Spotted Bee Balm Seeds

Common Names
Spotted Bee Balm, Horsemint, Spotted Horsemint, Bee Balm, Bergamot

Botanical Name
Monarda punctata

Plant Family
Lamiaceae

Native Range
Eastern US

Life Cycle
Perennial

Hardiness Zone
3-9

Habit
Grows to about 2ft tall in bloom. Yellow tubular flowers are dotted with burgundy and brown, arranged in whorls, with colourful leafy bracts in shades of pink and cream. Blooms from June to September. 

Sun/Soil
Easy to grow and will tolerate a variety of conditions. Ideally they are given regular to moist well-drained soil and full to part sun exposure. 

Germination/Sowing
The seeds germinate easily and are best sown in flats in the spring and then transplanted out once they are big enough.

Growing/Care
The foliage will die back in the fall at which time the plants can be cut back. They will regrow in the spring.

Harvesting
The aerial parts can be harvested by cutting the plants down to a few inches above the ground. The medicinal properties are more concentrated when the plants are in bloom during the heat of summer.

Culinary Uses
Leaves and flowers are useful for flavouring various beverages and deserts. Flowers are edible and may be added to salads.

Medicinal Uses
Bee Balm is used to treat colds and flus, as a strong antiseptic for healing wounds, and for its carminative & diaphoretic actions.

Themes
Cut flower, Attracts Pollinators, Deer Resistant, Apothecary Garden, Container Garden, Low Maintenance.