No, but my seeds for some pink ones arrived today; we'll see what happens. I failed with the purple from American Meadows last year, came as roots in sawdust. One pkt there was no root at all.

I winter-sowed a mix (I thought it was either last year or the year before, but I can't find any records for the life of me! But I know I did because it's out in my garden now, lol!)

The mix had pink and purple, but the purple is a light purple. I love it, especially with the pink, but I'd also love to have some dark purple.

Sorry I can't help with bloom time. Since I can't find my records of when I sowed, I don't know if it bloomed first year or second. Sorry!

:)
Dee

Thanks Aliska and Dee,

Dee,
I can say now that I'm probably going to have different shades of something....I think that I sowed one mix and one "purple" variety. The leaves of about half are dark (Almost black) while some are much lighter. I think that the blooms might follow this coloration. The seedlings seem to have stalled for some reason - no true leaves yet. I think that it might have been the extremely hot week that we just went through. It's supposed to cool off again. Might see some growth from this.

Aliska,

I've given up on live rootstock. Gurneys burnt me so many times that I lost all faith. Once I ordered a walnut tree and it came with the roots exposed in air and the branches wrapped with sphagnum moss!

Good luck with your seeds. I'm getting hooked on starting outside in containers....I started my Bee Balm a few weeks ago and I'm having much better luck than planting it in situ.

Thank you both!

I purchased white, now I kind of regret that color, got big fast and spread, but never bloomed last year. I think they might bloom about July, will have to look it up as I have some photos I took of some red monarda.

It's OT, but Bachelor's Button has a similar flower to bee balm except the more exotic ones. My friend had some beautiful purple ones with pink IIRC. I think they are annuals but self seeded or something. I'd love to have some purple ones of that. I did plant the blue about 3 years ago.

Bee balm likes damp or moist soil although maybe some get it to grow where it is drier. That's why I thought Bachelor's buttons might be a nice compromise. Won't order any more this year even if I find some purple.

I have grown these 5 species of Bee balm from seed:

Monarda didyma - red
M. fistulosa - wild bergamot - lavender
M. citriodora - light pink or lavender
M. punctata - beige/pink
M. bradburiana - white

None of these species are normally a dark purple color. I am not sure what species "Purple Bee Balm" would be. Probably a cultivar of either Monarda didyma or fistulosa, or a hybrid of the two, cultivated from some natural genetic variation in seedlings. I am not sure if your seeds will come out the color you desire, but in my experience the perennial Bee balms bloom the 2nd year so you will have to wait to find out.

I love them all however!

onetwothreetim:

I've given up on live rootstock. Gurneys burnt me so many times that I lost all faith. Once I ordered a walnut tree and it came with the roots exposed in air and the branches wrapped with sphagnum moss!

Me, too, unless I'm desperate. Just isn't worth it. Pay more and get better first or start your own and wait longer.

Good luck with your seeds. I'm getting hooked on starting outside in containers....I started my Bee Balm a few weeks ago and I'm having much better luck than planting it in situ.

Thanks, I've got 17 containers and assorted ready to plant ASAP. It's a late start, but I've been successful with perennials in prior years that way, as long as you get them in the ground about 2 months B4 hard freeze. One year I stuck 5 1 gal nursery containers of coreopsis in the ground just before a hard freeze. They survived, only have two left but one has spread so much I will need to divide it. 25-cent pkt of seeds. So you never know. I figure even though the tops froze off right away, the roots were still protected, wouldn't work for some things.

It was either that or overwinter in sunroom, and I didn't want 5 more things to pamper thru winter.

The WS forum has been very inspiring.

Here is a tip someone gave me here last year when I wanted to start some gypsophilia (the florist kind) in situ. Scoop out a cavity, fill with potting soil, plant your seeds, put a 2 liter soda bottle over it with cap off. Water when there's no moisture in the bottle. It worked great, but the gypsophilia wasn't happy, have two dinky ones left, never bloomed. Already tried chalk at someone's suggestion, crushed up drywall.

It's a gamble when it gets too hot. Gotta post this, daughter here.