'Leading Lady Plum' Bee Balm (Monarda)
Perennial
- Charming magenta blooms, loved by pollinators.
- Stays where you plant it! No rampant spreading.
- Bright blooms! Enjoy blooms for 8-12 weeks.
- Native perennial is deer-resistant.
- Zones 4-8, sun/part sun, 14" tall x 28" wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent #: USPP 26,447
Common name: Bee balm, Horsemint, Bergamot, Oswego Tea
Zone: 4 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ Hours), Part Sun (4-6 Hours)
Height x width: 10-14" tall X 22-28" wide
Flower color: Magenta
Foliage color: Green
Bloom season: Summer
Features: Wet soils, space savers, rain gardens, Proven Winners, native, heat tolerant, fragrant, deer resistant, 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 shade
Water: Average to abundant, depending on the weather. Soil should be kept moist to combat powdery mildew.
Spacing: Space at least 18-24" 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.
The plants were in great shape and have started blooming.
I think these may be too tightly clustered. They bloomed nicely last year after planting and then early this summer but have turned brown and are dying. It seems like they are bunched too close together. I am going to salvage what I can and spread them out. I would recommend buying bee balm as individual plants or just two or three stems in a bundle so they don't suffocate themselves.
We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. Please refer back to our previous responses. Our friendly customer service team is happy to help! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Growing well. Very pretty.
I’ve just had them for a few weeks and they’re blooming already amazing
My recent order was on line. The plants I ordered were in transit only 2 days. They arrived in great shape! Planting instructions were very clear. The communication from the company was also great. I will buy more from this company!
All the plants i received from Grear Garden were in great shape when they arrived. They are already blooming and looking very healthy.
Growing good so far. Packed well when shipped. Bloomed already.
I like it. It came ready to plan. 10
Love their plants. Shipped in great condition. And my plants always thrive. Love the Bee Balm
Beautiful healthy plants. ALL are thriving and happy. Best place I've ever ordered plants from.
And I've bought from quite a few different companies.
HIGHLY recommended
Hummers, Bees, Doves all find something good to eat in my bee balm garden!!
I am very disappointed. The coneflower died and my leading lady plum right now is wilting hopefully it will come back. The other two plants I ordered seems to be doing fine.
We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. Our team of horticulture experts would love to take a closer look, and get to the bottom of what might be causing this. Please contact [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants so we can gain a better understanding of the state of your plants. All orders are covered by our 60 day guarantee. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Waiting to bloom
Arrived in great condition, v carefully packed, and have been thriving ever since I planted them.
Beautiful plants !! They are planted -- looking forward to blooms !! Thank you !!
Of the 5 plants I ordered 2 were dead. Other 3 were in good condition. Still waiting on confirmation the 2 will be replaced
Hello! Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. It looks like we are just waiting on a response from you confirming the plants you'd like replaced! Please email your order number and pictures of your plants (with visible names) to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Seems to be doing well in the perennial garden
This bee balm arrived in great shape and seems to be thriving. Can’t wait to see the blooms in the early summer!
Bee Balm doing well. Since I ordered late, I might not get flowers this season but at least roots will be well established. I have ordered other plants and doing equally well.
Love the color and the full flower head. Can’t wait to see it multiply and accent my Fine Line Buckthorn. The height is perfect, dwarf in size.
This plant is already blooming and i just planted in the late spring. The color is beautiful and looks amazing with my pugster amethyst plants.
Gorgeous flowers, easy to grow. Started growing and flowering right away. Lovely light lemon scent
What other colors do Bee Balm plants come in
You can view all our bee balm plants here:
https://www.greatgardenplants.com/collections/perennials-bee-balm
Toxic to cats?
Hello! It's a good idea to talk to your veterinarian about your pet's safety regarding the possible toxicity of plants. In the meantime, you can read our gardening article about cat-friendly plants here:
https://blog.greatgardenplants.com/15-cat-friendly-plants-for-your-garden/
What about slugs? Do they ear this plant???
Thank you for contacting us. This plant foliage and flowers are fragrant. Slugs typical stay away from fragrant plants.