Upscale™ 'Lavender Taffeta' Bee Balm (Monarda)
Perennial
- Thrives in both moist & average soils.
- Long-blooming, native perennial with fuzzy lavender flowers!
- Taller than most Monarda varieties on the market.
- Attracts pollinators, especially hummingbirds.
- Zones 4-8, sun/part sun, 26” tall x 30” wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
As a North American native, bee balm is a durable perennial that multiplies well in moist soil and full sun. While they typically bloom in the summer heat, their sturdy stems will keep the flowers upright and shining. Their fragrant, colorful blooms attract all sorts of pollinators to the garden, but mint-like foliage deters deer and other pests. The Upscale™ series from Proven Winners is taller than other bee balms, making them best suited for a tall border, the middle of beds, or mass plantings.
Details
Patent #: USPP 35,192
Common name: Bee balm, horsemint
Zone: 4 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun, Part sun
Height x width: 22-26" tall X 28-30" wide
Flower color: Purple
Foliage color: Green
Bloom time: Summer
Features: Wet soils, space savers, rain gardens, rabbit & deer resistant, Proven Winners, native, heat tolerant, fragrant, cold tolerant
Uses: Accent, container gardening, edging, erosion control or embankment, ground cover, massing, rain garden, rock garden, under planting, waterside
How to Grow
Light: Full sun to partial sun
Water: Average to abundant, depending on weather. Established plants can tolerate dry conditions.
Spacing: Space at least 24-28" from other plants; good air circulation encourages healthy, vigorous growth.
Fertilizing: Little needed. If desired, apply a granular garden fertilizer in early spring, just as the soil begins to thaw.
Winterizing: No special care needed. Any old stems that persist after winter can be cut back in spring.
Maintenance & pruning: Remove spent blooms for better performance and looks. While not imperative, it results in a neater, showier plant.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
Planted in 2024, did really nicely in 2025, and still going strong in 2026. Bumblebees are always after this plant.
I planted this right in front of some Onyx and Pearls Penstemon and they bloom at the same time. It might bloom a little earlier for me since they're on the west side of my house foundation. It actually bloomed earlier than the Leading Lady varieties due to the residual heat from the house. They're tall enough to disguise the gas meters too.
I have made two large orders of plants from GGP, and all but one item arrived in perfect shape. Following their policy, I sent them a photo, and they refunded me for that one item immediately. Everything, including the monarda, is thriving. Keep in mind what size pot you are ordering and have realistic expectations. Every gardener knows patience pays off. Small plants grow bigger, and things that didn't bloom this year could be showstoppers next year. I will continue to order from GGP because their prices and quality are good for alll the varieties I can't find locally. Thank you, GGP!
Beautiful plant it was in grest shape whennit arrived. The packaging was spot on. Will definitely buy from thos company again
I love my Bee Balm plants. They looked great when they arrive. They are planted and being water twice a day. It is so hot here I just hope they flourish.
They arrived and alive, now let’s hope that they thrive
Just received these in FedEx mail. Well packed happy plants. Looking forward to putting them in the garden :)
Showed up packaged well.
There starting to grow. Now just got to wait and the color.
I have been a long time, loyal customer to Great Garden Plants…that is, until recently. This Taffeta Lemon Balm is one of my most recent purchases, this Spring. As you can see, a gallon size purchase…not really a ‘gallon size’ plant. It took forever to bloom which, I don’t mind…waiting for the beauty but, I got all of maybe 7 blooms total nd they are now dying back. I have ordered many other plants in the recent past and they have turned out to be either subpar or, not even the plant I ordered. Very disappointed. This page wouldn’t allow me to show photo’s.
Hello! We do not sell any perennials in gallon sizes. We do allow all customers to submit photos if there are ever any questions about our plants. On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to [email protected] to start the claims process if there is a problem with your order. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
So far they are doing well.
This arrived a beautiful and healthy plant!
I have ordered from this nursery for a few years. Ever plant is packed well and when arriving are thriving. Each plant has thrived once planted and flower beautifully.
I sent this question over a week ago and never received an answer. I was wondering why the pink chenille monarda came in looking so much better than the purple taffeta monarda. There is a stark contrast in the two varieties. I hope that the purple will improve next year but they came looking much worse. I sent pictures with my last email.
Thanks
I'm sorry you haven't received a response from us! I looked through our system and it doesn't look like we received that email. Please send those pictures to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!