Monarda / Bee Balm

6/25/10  It's a deep magenta color

Monarda

'Petite Delight"

This is a very small bee balm, only about 2 feet high.  It has magenta pink blooms.

Keep it wet, it can't dry out (but don’t let it get too wet in winter).  It is mildew resistant, but it does get some mildew.

I had it in the Birch Garden, but moved it to the wetter right side of Meadow's Edge, along the dry creek bed.  I have divided it several times, and it is making a nice little stand now.

 If it is happy it will spread.  The scent is nice, a light bergamot fragrance.

Keep it watered well.  Deadhead.  When it starts to fade in midsummer cut stems back to the base.  Spray with Neem or baking soda for mildew.

In May/June snip off all but 5 or 6 of stronger shoots when they are 4” high for air and bushiness.

7/9/11

7/14/11 

In 2012 this never did much. It has potential, and the deep magenta blooms can be eye catching, but the plants are barely there, and are not spreading. In fact they are diminishing each year.

We had a very dry midsummer in 2012, so that can't have helped. Nothing much to show.

In 2013 I bought more 'Petite Delight' plants to try to get this patch reestablished, but there is still nothing to show for it.  These just melt out.

In 2014 I made a consistent effort to water and fertilize this tiny patch of bee balm, and they did look much better. They want better conditions than I have them in, but with water and attention I might still make something of them. Love the scent of the foliage.

I can't really get this patch to fill in or spread, but the few plants I do keep alive look cute enough. I'd like the purple pink color with the blue hue of the rosa glauca next to them, but neither is impactful enough yet.

7/3/15