Spotted Bee Balm - Complete Profile
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- čas přidán 26. 06. 2024
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Spotted Bee Balm is a valuable native plant for North American pollinators. It is short lived, lasting 1-4 years (I've had both) that brings late season color and provides important nectar and pollen to bees and butterflies. Scientifically known as Monarda punctata, Spotted Bee Balm is native to most of North America east of the Rocky Mountains.
What makes this plant really valuable is that it will bloom the first year from seed, and it provides a nectar/pollen source in late summer when many plants have gone dormant, but before Asters and Goldenrod.
For future quick reference, bookmark the article below, which covers all aspects of grow and care for Spotted Bee Balm;
growitbuildit.com/monarda-pun...
10% OFF your orders from Prairie Restorations, Inc. Use code: GROWIT10. They now ship plants, in addition to seeds. zurl.to/QGlX (affiliate link)
To buy seed for this plant - amzn.to/3aVU9XN (affiliate link)
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Awesome video. I really appreciate that this is a gardening channel that primarily focuses on flowers. Most gardening channels on CZcams seem to focus almost exclusively on vegetables and crops, which is fine, but I mainly am interested in flowers. It can be quite a challenge to find informative videos on growing certain types of flowers and this channel has some of the best videos on flowers that I've ever came across.
Thank you Kent! I'm really happy you are finding videos helpful. It takes me a while to make them, as I usually gather the full lifecycle. And then it just takes a long time to edit. But when I make one, I want it to be truly useful.
@@growitbuildit Agree, great channel. Just found it this morning, and though I have a very busy morning scheduled, I’ve already watched or listened to a few. Ok, now I gotta stop and get some work done - darn it!!!!
Thank you Katie!
I hope your channel grows! You're one of the most informative garden channels I've stumbled across.
Thank you Holly! I hope so too. We may not put videos out weekly, but when I put one out I want it to be worth your time.
@@growitbuildit They definitely are. Putting together a complete profile takes time. Do you have a way for viewers to support your efforts?
I'm flattered by that Tien. Currently we don't have a way, but my wife and I are discussing it. The biggest hurdle for me is time. A full time job, and two children keep us busy before our CZcams and website articles.
@@TienTran-nm6ms I just wanted to share that we have started a Patreon. www.patreon.com/growitbuildit There is also now a 'Super Thanks' button on our videos here where viewers can make donations.
I saw this growing occasionally in ditches here in texas. It is in full bloom now, very late spring, bordering on early summer. I had never noticed it before so i had my husband stop so i could identify it. It is pink and white here. Absolutely beautiful. I'm going to try to collect seeds when they're ready. Thank you for this video!
You are very welcome! It is a great wildflower. And truly one of the most unique flower structures I've found native to North America.
This is my favorite native flower in my garden. It attracts a wide variety of pollinators and it's lovely, easy, and compact.
They are absolutely awesome flowers. Truly unique blooms. I can't really think of another native to the Eastern North America that has such a transition in color.
Once again, TWO THUMBS UP for Joe's information and video covering the Spotted Bee Balm! This is a wonderful plant that I look forward to increasing throughout our property. Please subscribe and share Growit Buildit with others. This information is spot-on, exactly what we need more of out here! MRM
Thank you! I really appreciate this!
Very helpful video. I recently became aware of this specific plant. I have other bee balm but this variety is new to me. The video is full of details for growing success. My seed list is increasing and this one will make the list!
I'm glad you found the info helpful. The really cool thing about this one is that it will bloom first year if you get it germinated early enough.
What an absolutely beautiful plant! Am always searching for best plants to attract pollinators. Thank you so much, as always, for the thorough education, and great photography!
Thank you Venice! This species has become a favorite of mine. The blooms are just so unique. I can't really think of any other plant off hand that has leaf bracts that change color.
I love this plant so much. There’s nothing else that really looks like it and I think it’s really beautiful. Mine was always covered in pollinators. It attracted golden digger wasps to my garden, which I’ve never seen before. At first I was horrified because those wasps are huge and intimidating. But they’re really docile toward humans and will actively hunt garden pests. I only had my spotted bee balm for one season and unfortunately it didn’t come back. I can’t find it at any nurseries this year. So I’ll be getting seeds and growing numerous plants for next year. Definitely a favorite plant
I'm with you 100% - this is an awesome flower. And it is a pollinator magnet,
This is my favorite native plant and I grow a bunch of here it here in Pittsburgh, where its endangered in PA. Its really one of the oddest looking natives to the midwest and east coast.
As for blooming, I had some blooming in late November of last year.
Fully agree that it is just about the most unique native! There are a couple others that will give it some competition for late blooming - Aromatic Aster and Heart-leaf Aster. You may want to check those out.
@@growitbuildit I have a couple aromatic asters but never heard of the heart leaf aster. I’ll check it out.
Wonderfully informative. Thank you so much for highlighting this important native plant! I just started growing some from seed last year, and have been delighted to watch their little purple leaves sprout up this spring. Hopefully they will flower this year. Really appreciate the thoroughness of your videos. Thanks again.
Excellent - I'm sure that they will flower for you this year. Mine look the largest I've seen. I'm interested to see how full they get this year. Good luck!
Another awesome detailed video! Thank you so much! Excellent 💖💖
You are very welcome!
I can’t wait to plant it!
It is an awesome flower - blooming right now for me. And busy as ever.
Love love love your channel!!! Thank you for these wonderful videos!
You are very welcome. I really like hearing comments like this. Makes all the work worthwhile.
Great video of a unique plant to grow!
Thank you!
Very informative video. Thank you so much! 😊
You are very welcome Hannah. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
This plant really surprised me. I planted it from a small plug container in the spring and the first Fall was already 3 feet tall. The bees go nuts for it and I saw hummingbirds visit mine.
It is an amazing plant Andrew. They easily bloom 1st year, but normally don't live more than 3 though. So save those seeds.
Another Gem!
Thank you sir!
Thanks...just bought some for my bee hives.
Excellent - Your bees will be very happy with you.
Your videos give me so much inspiration for my own garden! Love em!
Thank you Marie! I'm happy you are enjoying them!
Excellent video, I started some seeds of this plant for the first time this year so I appreciate all the info.
Thank you Katherine! I'm glad you found the info helpful.
Great info thanks
Thank you Pam - I'm glad you found it helpful!
Awesome video! Love spotted bee balm. My first blooms are coming out now that I planted back in April. Thanks for all the information and seed collecting tips especially since I want more of it now 😃 Take care!
You are very welcome. Mine started blooming about a week ago, and are slowly starting up.
Thanks excellent!!
Thank you Jason!
Very cool flower! Trying to plant it this year. Thank you for all the helpful tips.
You are very welcome - this one can bloom 1st year
Beautiful flower. You give excellent commentary. Very pleased with your video content. 👀👍
Thank you again! This is an awesome flower to grow. Really unique blooms. I don't understand why I don't see it more often.
Great informative video for a beginner to the pollinator world like me, thanks 😊
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful. Goid luck this season!
I'm about to put some spotted bee balm into the ground, and so appreciate this informative and visually stunning video. Thank you. Please create the video you mentioned you might do about uses for spotted bee balm.
You are welcome Erika. I do plan on making some videos on plant uses, but probably won't start those for some time. I have quite the backlog to work off of at the moment.
Wonderful video anxious to check out what other things you've made
Thank you Meg - I'm sure you will find some other profiles that you'll enjoy!
Nice introduction to the plant, I bought seeds and will plant it in Europe this year. I’ll try different Monarda species too this year, they are so nice looking!
Thank you AB - you're going to love this flower. It is very unique and beautiful.
Beautiful plants i have a butterfly garden and bee garden after watching your video im going to try bee balm too
Spotted Bee Balm is an amazing late-season pollinator plant. You will love this one. The other types of Monarda are quite good too!
I just planted this. Its cute
I really love this flower. I have a lot of it growing.
Wow. That is going to in butterfly garden next year! I don’t think I have ever seen this but I do grow “regular” bee balm.
This is probably the most drought tolerant of the Monarda. But it looks absolutely stunning. Really easy to germinate the seeds. You'll have no trouble at all. You could probably get them started now yet and get a jump start on next year. Just plant them out in September.
This is awesome!! Idk if this is the same kind of bee balm I bought tho. Got mine from Lowes garden center. Was told I could use it as tea. But ill look for this kind as well. Pollination is much needed here.
Hi Amy - probably not the same variety. But, in my experience all Bee Balm are great to have around. The red kind, Monarda didyma generally gets pollinated by Hummingbirds. But all others get the full spectrum in my experience. Good luck!
I just started growing monardo last year and couldn’t figure out the seed saving thing. Thanks for the pointer!
There are plenty of great tips from Growit Buildit in his videos I subbed.
You are quite welcome. I have another detailed video on saving seed from other Monarda. I did a bit of research as to why I always had trouble getting seed from Scarlet Bee Balm, Monarda didyma. You may want to have a look at that one if you grow it, as it is much more difficult to get seed from the red Bee Balm.
@@growitbuildit I will watch that, thank you very much. There is a huge patch near my house that I tried to cull seed from last year with zero success. This year I just dug up a clump ( with permission of course) but definitely want to get seeds for the future!
Great video! This is new to my garden this year and I love it. You are right about the bees! Mine have gotten heavy and have started to flop over. Do you recommend deadheading or cutting back?
Hi Rebecca - I never have good luck deadheading any of the Monarda species. You can cut them back earlier in the year, perhaps mid-June or early July. That should lower the overall height.
I have them flop over from time to time, but generally stay upright. However this year I did have one plant get exceptionally large (4' x 3') that began to sprawl/flop over. I've never had that happen before, but it was just a bit too happy in it's location I guess.
This plant grows on the Hopi reservation in N Arizona. It’s a good herb for savory dishes. We would fried it with potatoes.
Thank you for sharing Dario - I may just try that sometime.
Great video, well made and informative. I’m just getting into native backyard gardening and this is just what I’m looking for. What state are you based out of?
Hi Gabe - I'm in South Central PA. Glad you are enjoying these videos. A couple small tips to keep in mind, always plant 3 of something, and group them relatively close together. You will attract more pollinators that way. Sometimes people can get 'species' fever where they want 'one' of everything. And don't overlook your local native populations. You can often get free seed from ditches or parks that allow foraging.
I just found this in my yard in Louisiana.
That's a lucky find. Save some seed and spread the love!
I want lots of this bee balm. Just started clearing areas.
They are really nice to have. An amazingly beautiful, exotic native.
I have some new starts of this growing
It's an awesome flower. It should be planted more just because of it's looks.
Great video again. Your plant profiles are so helpful. I ordered Mondarda punctata seeds online a few days ago, so this is great timing! I'm planning to grow them with Asclepias tuberosa, which I'm also starting from seed. I'm curious what your thoughts are about mixing those two things. You're doing god's work and thank you!
That is perfect timing! Cool - you're going to love them.
I think M Punctata will pair nicely with Asclepias tuberosa. They are both drought tolerant and like similar growing conditions. You will probably have a blooming gap between the two. But neither plant should crowd the other out, nor shade the other out. Good luck!
You should see about adding some coreopsis lanceolata to fill that gap possibly
Any suggestions for soil with a lot of clay? We’re slowly breaking it with compost but it’s taking awhile.
We’ve had a plant for some time, however it becomes shaded by its neighbors. It remains uncharacteristically short and not spreading. It does make the ‘pineapple’ flower head. We’re planning on moving it this spring.
Thanks for all your valuable info. Will try seeding.
Hello - Some suggestions would be Mountain Mint, Red Bee Balm, Obedient Plant, Liatris, Penstemon (Hairy Beardtongue or Foxglove Beardtonge), Cardinal Flower, or depending on height, Ironweed. All of those species should do well in clay. But you will likely need to address the shade issue. If the area only gets 4 hours of direct sunlight, it may never reach full height.
There are some other Asters you could try such as shorts aster or aromatic aster, that are smaller and may do better in partial shade.
Think you could do a video on horse mint or does it not grow up there?
Edit: I realize these are the same plant
That is one thing I forgot - to list off the many common names of this flower!
Just got these seeds this year. Do you thin out your seedlings before planting or are a few planted together ok?
Hi Sharon - once the plants get several sets of true leaves, I would thin them. You will get larger, healthier plants.
you mentioned at 5:16 that you have monarda that blooms from May to October, which ones are those?
Hi - it is not one species, but all the different types of Monarda that I have. At the time I made this video, I had Monarda didyma, M. fistulosa, and M punctata. So I basically can get blooms from May through Fall. This year I'm adding two more species....will be interesting to see how they perform.
Do you know where you got your seeds for this plant? The pink is so much darker and more saturated than the examples I see from Baker Creek (I always give my mom a packet of flower seeds on Valentine's day and bought them a few weeks ago)
All my plants came from a single plant I bought 5 years ago from a local grower, who forages the seed for his stock. I would try Everilde, I buy from them each year and the plants I grow from them all seem to be good quality. Here is a link to amazon (affiliate) - amzn.to/3aVU9XN
So you say this is short lived or annual? Is this different (longevity wise) than burgundy monarda didyma? My didyma came from another lady’s yard about 4 years ago and it comes back every year. I just bought 3 pint sized pots of this spotted bee balm. I’m in eastern Nebraska (Omaha) zone 5
Hi - yes, this is short lived. I have some plants that live one year, others live 2-3 years and then die. But good news, it blooms the first year from seed if you get it in the ground in Spring. Monarda didyma is long-lived in my experience, as in it will last for decades.
I want to plant these on a hill. There is grass and weeds there now. Do I have to till the soil before transplanting the seedlings? Don't want to cause erosion on the hill. If I put mulch around them will that be enough so they will grow? I was given 50 Bee Balm seedlings!
Hi Jeannie - yes, spotted bee balm likes drier soils, so a slope is fine. You can plant it as a plug in the grass. Just dig a small hole roughly twice as wide/deep as the plug, fill with water and let drain a couple times. Then drop it in and backfill. Try to make sure it have very good contact. These should bloom this year.
@@growitbuildit Thank you so much for your prompt reply.
I am trying to grow Monarda punctata. I seem to be having issues with the seedlings. They germinate at about 2 weeks, stay tiny for 2 more weeks and then just disappear. They seem to be very slow growers, Cardinal flowers too. I water daily with small pump sprayer because the top of my soil gets bone dry frequently. March and April tend to be very windy here in the upstate of SC. I generally bottom water once every 3 days for 45 minutes and just top spray 1 to 2 times a day just to keep top of soil moist. I am using 2.5" pots with regular Miracle Grow potting soil. Am I watering to much or not enough? I have great success watering same way with Asclepius tuberosa, Rudbeckia hirtia, Echinacea purpurea, and Coreopsis lacelotta. Or maybe I am starting them to early? Today it hit 81, but we have had many nights in mid to upper 30"s. I bring them in garage when we have freezing/frost. Would love to know what I am doing wrong. Would also love it if you made a video on how you water and maintain your seedlings. Thanks for any help.
Hi - it sounds like you are watering too much. I will describe my process here, and sometime in the future can make a video.
But I winter sow almost everything. But even if I am starting new seeds in Spring, I plant them as I show in my videos, and place them in a location that gets morning sun and afternoon shade. I'm not sure where your are putting your seedlings, but try to keep them on the East side of a building. In this way they can get plenty of sun in the morning, and will be shaded thereafter. Also, I only water in the morning.
The reason you only water in the morning is that there is a common disease known as 'damp off' disease. It is a fungus that attacks the stem where it meets the soil, weakening the stems. This often causes a plant to flop over and die/decompose. It sounds like you might be having this problem, as maintaining the top soil moist would make a 'breeding ground' for fungus. Once germination happens, you don't need to worry about the surface being moist, but rather that the pot has moisture (pick it up, if it feels heavy, its good). Remember above where I said I only water in the morning? Well, if I water in the morning, and then the morning sun will evaporate any moisture on the top of the soil and at the soil/stem interface, thus preventing damp-off disease.
If my seedlings dry out by lunchtime, but they are going to be in the shade, I'm usually ok with that. If a plant is not in direct sun then it's water demands are very low. Plants need water to grow, but a large function of water (I suspect) is for the plant to cool itself. If it is in shade, it doesn't need much water.
Also - if it is going to be shady all day, I won't water any seedlings unless they are 'bone dry'. If they are bone dry, then I will try to water from the bottom to avoid any damp-off disease.
There is one other thing you could also do to help avoid excess watering. Try to use bigger pots. Bigger pots will hold more moisture, and thus are less prone to drying out. But, in my experience, if you keep the pots on the east side, and maintain their moisture level by watering in the morning, then six-packs can work just fine. I keep plants alive in six packs throughout the whole summer in this manner.
@@growitbuildit Thank you very much for the help. I checked the position of my property on Google Earth, my plants are facing SE. They get sun from sunrise to around 4pm. Is that too much? I also noticed that not all of my Monarda punctata died. They are small and reddish in color, can be hard to see. However, my Rattlesnake Master is definitely showing signs of too much water. I will adjust my watering and hopefully I can save them.
So do you give plants like Cardinal Flowers more water since they like wetter locations? I kind of thought that Rattlesnake Master and Blazing Star would also require more water, even though they are drought tolerant. I am guessing it is better to give them to little, than to much water.
It is all a learning experience, I will get it figured out eventually. I really appreciate the help.
@dthor68 I would try to move them to where they get sun until around noon....possibly the NE side.
Don't over analyze the amount of water at this stage, just make sure they are not completely dry. If the container has some weight, then it the roots will have access to water. That is the main point.
Also, watch my video on separating seedlings, as thinning or separating can help them grow larger. I say this because it sounds like you have a lot of seedlings in a single pot
@@growitbuildit Thank you so much for your help. You are right, I have quite a few seedlings per cell. And, I will shorten the amount of time in direct sun. Again, thanks!
My monarda punctatas have flowers that are solid purple instead of yellow.
Wow - I've not seen that. You could always try ordering some seed if you want to get colors like what I've shown in this video.
@@growitbuildit yeah I actually got my seed from everwilde. I kind of wonder if it hybridized with another monarda species or if it is just natural variation.
Edit: I think it might be monarda citriodora that was labeled wrong by everwilde
Email them. They generally have good customer service. Give them a picture too.
What do you recommend for spacing?
You can go as low as 2'. 3' is the recommended spacing though.
@@growitbuildit Oops - I’ve done about 18 inches. Lol.
I would leave it. They might be a hair shorter. But will will be full.
If I wanted to cut the seed heads off and just leave them in a pot over the winter, would they self-seed?
They probably would Melissa. But it is really easy to just save the seed, and then you can just literally scatter the seed on top of the soil in late Winter, and it should sprout in Spring.
@@growitbuildit Thank you.
What zone are you in? Just trying to get a reference.
On the border of 6/7
Zone for Spotted Beebalm?? l live in VT and in a good year, we're in zone 5a.
Zones 3-9. But I wouldn't worry too much about zones with this species. I've had it behave as both an annual and short lived perennial. So, you should plan on either letting it self-seed or planting some each year to ensure you've always got some.
I have a New Flower CRUSH🤩❣
Where to get viable seeds???
It's really an awesome late bloomer. I originally got seed from Everwilde-
amzn.to/3aVU9XN
@@growitbuildit thank you so much!!!
Is this a USA company??? We all know why I'm asking😬
Also, I am in Florida where we RARELY get below 45°F. When is too late to start from seed? Does this plant have to establish itself for a year or more before it Flowers? And would you be willing to sell & send any clones of it?
*As I said, it's My Current "Flower Crush" & I've only got 2 others. So, I'm VERY selective! 🤣
Hi - that is actually a USA company. They are based in the upper Midwest, but I buy from them each year with good results. My spotted bee balm actually came from a local native nursery, who sources local eco-types.
This plant will flower the first year frequently. I've had some seedlings in a small six-pack bloom inside the sixpack because I didn't get around to planting them.
As of now, I don't think I have any seed. But can probably scrounge some up later (just starting to bloom now). Email me in October, as that is when I generally collect seed.
Can I sow this now or in September, in UK? Average day temperature is now around 21 C. Winters min temperature is 0C, minus 1, or 2, occasionally. Generally round 5C. Can I keep it in unheated greenhouse? Cheers.
Hi Allium - you probably could do that. But this plant really grows fast! A first year plant grown in full sun will get 2' tall and bloom in my experience. You can wait until Spring if you like.
@@growitbuildit thank you so much for your help and advice. Will do that. I love your videos. Will be growing 2 kinds of beebalms and liatris.. My garden space is getting smaller and smaller, I began putting plants on the verge outside. I may have to accept I may not manage to grow everything I want this year 2022/2023. Pollinators really love alliums (some more than others, globe shape ones are the best, albeit prone to fungi), also love sunflowers, echinacea, budleja, hyssop, salvia - but the best performer which attracted all sorts of insects (hummingbird moths, butterflies, variety of bees, dragon flies, which I videoed all) is actually verbena bonariensis. So far, the most versatile. Sadly, the very beautiful but worst perfomer is Rudbeckia sahara. I am waiting for goldstrum next year to flower, to see if it attracts pollinators here or not.
Wow, sounds like you've got quite the operation there. In my experience most Rudbeckia will attract pollinators, but they will be very tiny bees and some smaller butterflies. And for me, Monarda fistulosa is probably the single best all around performer for variety of species.
@@growitbuildit fascinating to hear that, thank you for sharing. I saw only small flies on rudbekia (they may have been small bees), good to know. 🐝🐝🙏🏻🙏🏻
I forgot Angelica Archangelica in its second year, that really attracted bees, but couldn't see other insects. And soon after went into seeds (by August), butterflies here began from late June onwards. One allium, bi colour purple elliptic shape, that was stormed by bumble bees only, and they were on it until it was gone, but not other pollinators came on it. Here in UK, if it gets cooler, that definitely affects pollinators. After the heatwave, garden was stormed by wasps, but as it got cooler, they disappeared.
Sadly the deer also decided it was delicious and ate nearly every bud off of nearly every plant I had in my bee meadow 😩
Wow, I've never had any animal bother any member of the Monarda genus. I'm sorry to hear that. I have to tell you, Liquid Fence works to keep deer and rabbits off my plants.
I thought they were marijuana when I spotted one