This week we’re looking at some members of the Monarda genus, a group of herbaceous perennial plants in the same family as mints. Though there are 25 recognized species, all native to North America, let’s delve deeper into two of the species that are most relevant to New York state.
The most widespread and common species under the “beebalm” umbrella are M. didyma or scarlet beebalm, and M. fistulosa, often known as wild bergamot. M. didyma is responsible for the brilliant red or burgundy flowers that are popular in gardens.
M. fistulosa has several varieties with a range of purple shades like this one.
Many cultivated beebalms are hybrid cultivars of these two species. Beebalms typically flower in spring and summer, and if thoroughly deadheaded, may even produce a second round of blooms in the fall. Here in the Pollinator Garden at the Extension Learning Farm, we have some Monarda didyma of the cultivated variety ‘Jacob Cline’ which bloomed last year from June 23 – July 30. We also have a tall pink-flowering beebalm (possibly a hybrid) which finished blooming a bit earlier in July, and a shorter purple-flowering one which bloomed June 10 – July 10.
Beebalm was used in many forms by Native Americans and early colonists, for medicinal and culinary purposes. The leaves and flowers are completely edible, and can be used fresh in salads and as a garnish, or can be made into an herbal infusion, earning it another common name: “Oswego tea”.
Beebalm is resistant to deer and rabbit damage, but is susceptible to infection by powdery mildew and needs to be planted in a location with plenty of air circulation in order to avoid this. A moist but well-drained soil is best, and it can tolerate clay. It prefers full sun (at least 6 hours per day), and can be cultivated by starting from seeds or from root divisions, since it’s ideal to dig up and divide the clumps every few years. If not divided, it will eventually begin to die back in the center of the clump. Most beebalms grow to a height of 2-4 feet, with a few varieties being larger or smaller, so there are lots of good ways to incorporate them into a garden.
There are lots of reasons to plant beebalm – its striking and fragrant (not to mention edible!) blooms and foliage being some of the main draws – but one of the biggest benefits of planting beebalm is right in the name*: all species are extremely attractive to pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, and lepidopterans (butterflies and moths).
(*The name “beebalm” is actually said to reference its use in soothing bee stings, but I digress…)
The native Monarda growing here in the North Country are hosts to 12 species of butterflies and moths, including four that are exclusively dependent on these plants in our part of their range. These include the unassuming Gray Marvel Moth, Anterastria teratophora, plus three species in the genus Pyrausta – a large group of small, mostly yellow-and-brown moths. One of these is Pyrausta signatalis, the Raspberry Pyrausta Moth.
The long, narrow, tubular flowers of beebalm can discourage larger insect pollinators, like bumblebees, leading some to “rob” nectar. They do this by piercing the bottom of the flower to access the nectar, rather than reaching into its opening – meaning they don’t end up pollinating it. This isn’t much of a cause for concern, though, since beebalm typically reseeds itself prolifically as well as spreading by rhizomes, and requires some management to keep contained. Some gardeners choose to deadhead the flowers to avoid excessive spreading of seeds as well as to promote longer blooming, but it might be better to leave them, as the seed heads can be a food source for birds in the fall and winter.
Resources:
- Bee Balm Flowers: Planting, Growing, and Caring for Bee Balm
- Monarda (Beebalm, Bee balm, Bergamot, Horesemint, Oswego Tea) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
- Monarda fistulosa (Wild bergamot) | Native Plants of North America
Connections with lepidopterans:
- Beebalm, Wild bergamot, Plant Information – Native Plants Finder
- Monarda didyma native range: USDA Plants Database Plant Profile General
- Monarda fistulosa native range: USDA Plants Database Plant Profile General
Amalia Kanitz grew up on a small farm in De Kalb NY and is currently a rising sophomore at St. Lawrence University. She was involved in 4-H for many years, and participated in horticultural knowledge competitions up to the national level. This summer, she is the SLU Public Interest Corps Garden-to-Table intern at CCE, helping with the Master Gardener Volunteer and Master Food Preserver programs. Amalia enjoys making visual art and music, learning about native plants and foraging, and appreciating the little things in nature.