Hello, Patti, we had plain old-fashioned bee balm in the Community Garden in Berkeley. It didn't spread, self-seed, or have mildew problems. The bushes were already well established, a few years old, when I took over coordinating the garden.

I planted a bee balm my first year in New Mexico, but it died. I gave it another try last fall, planted a showy red flowered bee balm. I'm hoping it reappears in spring! Thanks for the warning about it possibly being invasive.
Lorna

I have monarda. Started with 3 plants (planted in fall 2006) and divided it last spring. I've got plugs of it everywhere that I wanted something to spread rapidly. I didn't document the label on mine, but it is one of the newer varieties without a mildew problem.

Here is mine in front of buddleia 'Pink Delight'...if you recognize my monarda, please jog my memory!

Cameron

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I was one of the ones who mentioned that they would love to put some Monarda in the garden. I do have one, Petite Delight, which gets no taller than maybe 12" and hasn't spread much since I put it in 4 years ago. It's not been a good preformer for me...finally bloomed the second year and last year I hardly had any blooms. I thought I had it in a good location but guess not. Maybe I'll move some to a sunnier spot this spring and see what it does.

Cameron, I love yours and I'll be looking for some like it that shares the mildew resistant quality.

Vikki

Here some 'Marshall's Delight' .

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Libby

Lorna, I wonder if that old fashioned kind you speak of is called wild bergamont????

Cameron, could that be 'Blue Stockings'? What ever it's called, it's very pretty with your buddleia!

Vikki, I only just purchased my 'Petite Delight' last spring, so the jury is still out on its performance here. More sunlight sounds like a good idea for yours. Sometimes just moving/dividing bee balm can give it a boost too.

Libby, you have one of the prettiest gardens around. Always a pleasure to see your photos!

Thanks everyone.
Patti

I live in zone 4, and I planted some "petite delight" and some "Jacob Kline" monarda. They do alright, and they haven't spread like some say they do. I planted some seeds of a mix of monarda, and am waiting to see what they do this season.
The bees sure do like them. I have found that my "yarrow" is the most aggressive as far as the spreading goes. I even sunk it in a bucket, but they seem to pop up all over. The same goes with "Centaura" and "Speedwell". I don't mind so much right now though, all are welcome.

libby - what a gorgeous combination of colors -

Carrie

Hi Patti, I have two kinds of bee balm in my garden. A purple one and a red one. I have several clumps of the red. Yes the red one spreads quite rapidly.....but I just take out what I don't want every spring. The purple one really doesn't spread that much. Although I did move it to a new location and it has spread a little better in the last growing season....its still not as vigorous as the red.

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I have on order Monarda Beauty of Cobham (3 plants) for this spring. Bees, butterflys and hummingbirds love Monarda.

Sierra

Hello, Patti, yes, I think you are correct. And, come to think of it, I did trim the bushes quite often. We were really good about deadheading in the Community Garden, and also about keeping stuff from encroaching on other peoples' plots.

PrimGal, you are so right about yarrow being invasive. I dug one up and moved it, because I decided I didn't want yarrow in that location. Darned if a new plant didn't pop right back up where I had removed the one. I thought I had been careful to remove all roots! Maximilian sunflower is another invasive one. They are perennial and can wind up growing into extensive hedges.

Lorna

I keep saying "one of these days I'm going to sow bee balm". Well darn it, this year I am!

I've always drooled over the flowers *plus* the bees, butterflies and hummers like the plant.

Loved the pictures.

Edna

Libby -- I'd love to know what else is in that bed of yours. Did you start with one of each, or did you plant groupings of each variety? I love the dimensions and colors!

Patti -- I think you're right. I believe mine is Blue Stockings. Thanks!

Cameron

Great topic! I also noticed that it isn't mentioned here too often.

I started some red monarda (similar to sierra's first photo) from seed about three or four years ago. It seemed to be doing well until it got hit with some powdery mildew. Then nothing I did could save it.

Last summer I ordered Marshall's delight from American Meadows, it was DOA on arrival, but I planted it anyways. It never showed its face all growing season, so I'm not sure if it will make an appearance this year.

It's a lovely flower, but just hasn't worked for me yet.

Tracy

Cameron

I usually plant in groups of three or just one plant depeneding on the final size. Here some from that picture:

Yellow = Heliopsis helianthoides

Pale yellow and white = Argyranthemum (Marguerite)

Pale blue Campanula lactiflora 'pritchards var.'

Tall purple spikes = liatris spicata 'Kobold'

tall pink on left = a mallow Sidalcea 'Party Girl'

Dark blue in centre = Salvia - May Night

Dark pink dots = tall snaps

No planning needed. There's also a lot of cosmos foliage.

Libby

Libby, I love that flower bed!!!!!!!!!!!

Vikki

I winter sowed monarda last year. It germinated without difficulty, but once I transferred it to the ground didn't do much. Maybe it's the first year sleep thing? Anyway, the other day I was weeding that bed and I couldn't detect any signs of it. Is this normal? Does it completely die back to the ground as a true perennial? Should I expect to see it coming out of the ground one of these days or is it a goner?

I love that flower, but I must start it from seed, as it's not offered for sale as a plant here.

Eduarda

Hi Eduarda. My Monarda does die back to ground level each year, just like other perennials. However it is one of the first to pop out of the ground in early spring. Again the purple one is slower to show itself in the spring, but still earlier than many of the other perennials. So there are some differences between varieties.

Sierra

Great thread Patti ~ I've always enjoyed seeing pictures of bee balm and wanted some myself. I've tried from seed but that didn't work. This year I bought a plant from HD I think. Not sure what color of flower it is going to have and I hope it survives and spreads for me. It's in my shed's garden with herbs and flowers. I am in zone 10 FL.

FlowerLady

Libby -- thank you so much for the list!

Others -- when I divide my monarda in the fall, then the offspring will bloom the next summer. If I divide it in the spring, the offspring do not bloom until the following year. At least that's my experience with the variety that I have.

Cameron

I have Jacob Kline in my garden. It spreads like crazy. I plan on doing some serious thinning this spring.

I winter sowed Monarda fistulosa last year. The plants were spindly and got to be about six inches tall and then just stayed that way. They haven't died back for the winter, and I'm hoping I'll see a growth spurt once the weather warms up (and maybe even some blooms!)

Thanks for the interesting responses!

I too had problems with a planting of monarda that never survived. It was 'Jacob Kline' and I was amazed to find it had bit the dust. Looking back, I think I played a major part in its demise by dividing it when it was in bloom (and when it was still a young plant).

Tracy, I just checked out American Meadows with Garden Watchdog. It was a good company that seemed to have a bad year in 2007. Several complaints similar to yours. I hope it will come back for you.

Eduarda, I couldn't improve on Sierra's answer. Don't give up on it yet!

FlowerLady, if anyone could grow this in Zone 10, it's YOU! I'll bet you have good success with it. Good luck!

Edna, your bees and butterflies will surely thank you!

Sierra, your photos are wonderful!
Thanks everyone,
Patti

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Cambridge Scarlet is grown in my Hummingbird garden. It's a vigorous grower, but easy to control. All I have to do is announce to friends and family that I need to thin out the red "Bee Balm", and I get plenty of takers. This year I'm going to plant some in our neighborhood park next to the pond. The children should have a great time watching the Hummingbirds. I have never had a problem with powdery mildew with this plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden Travels