'Pardon My Purple' Bee Balm (Monarda)
Perennial
- One of the most vivid bee balms you'll find!
- Long-blooming flowers always buzz with pollinators.
- Ideal for small spaces at only 10-12" tall.
- Thrives in both moist and average soils.
- Zones 4-8, sun/part sun, 12″ tall x 12″ wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent #: USPP 22,170
Common name: Bee balm, horsemint
Zone: 4 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: 10-12" X 10-12"
Flower color: Purple
Foliage color: Green
Season of interest: Summer
Bloom time: Midsummer, late summer
Features: Wet soils, rain garden, Proven Winners, native, heat tolerant, deer resistant, container plants, cold tolerant, best for beginners
Uses: Accent, container gardening, edging, erosion control or embankment, ground cover, massing, rain garden, rock garden, underplanting, waterside
How to Grow
Light: Sun (> 6 hours sun) to part sun (4-6 hours sun)
Water: Water about an inch a week.
Spacing: Appreciated good air circulation between plants. Space 12"
Fertilizing: We recommend against fertilizing at planting time and during the first growing season. Plants need time to settle and root in before being pushed to grow. Most established plants grow best if fertilized with a light hand. We fertilize perennials just once -- in early spring -- with a light but even coverage of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer or organic fertilizer.
Winterizing: No special care needed.
Maintenance & pruning: Remove spent blooms for better rebloom performance.
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.
