Bee Balm
Monarda Didyma
Overview
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma), a vibrant perennial, thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. It reaches 2-4 feet in height with a spread of 2-3 feet, showcasing tubular red flowers that attract pollinators. Ideal for borders or wildflower gardens, it offers a pleasant fragrance and mid-summer blooms. Regular deadheading encourages prolonged flowering. Hardy in Zones 4-9, Bee Balm resists deer but may attract mildew if not properly spaced.
Culture
- Sun
- Full, Half
- Water
- Extra in Summer, High, Medium
- USDA zones
- 4–9
Shape & size
Classification
- Type
- Herb, Perennial
- Family
- Lamiaceae
See full data, regional cultivation notes, and design tools. Build a client presentation around this plant.
Start your 14-day trialPhotos (131)
























Photographs by 13 contributors
- Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Audrey from Central Pennsylvania, USA, CC BY 2.0 · source
- sonnia hill, CC BY 2.0 · source
- Alex Abair, CC BY 4.0 · source
- Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Ewen Cameron, CC BY 4.0 · source
- Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Paul VanDerWerf from Brunswick, Maine, USA, CC BY 2.0 · source
- Ayotte, Gilles, 1948-, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Hardyplants, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
- Kurt Stüber [1], CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
- MattysFlicks, CC BY 2.0 · source
- Kolforn ( Kolforn ) I'd appreciate…, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Related plants

Herb
African Blue Basil
Ocimum Basilicum 'African Blue'

Shrub
Alpine Mint Bush
Prostanthera Cuneata

Amazel Basil® Sweet Italian Basil
Ocimum basilicum

Perennial
Anise- Scented Sage
Salvia Guaranitica

Ground cover
Anne Greenway Dead Nettle
Lamium Maculatum 'Anne Greenway'

Annual
Annual Lion's Ear
Leonotis Nepetifolia