Description
Common name: Bee Balm
Bee Balm typically bloom in midsummer, but ‘Leading Lady Lilac’ leads the way in early summer, flowering earlier and forming a more petite clump than other Bee Balm (like ‘Pardon My Purple’). She typically blooms from early summer (first week of June in Michigan) into midsummer and grows just a foot tall.
Her densely branched, dark green, somewhat glossy foliage is topped with light lilac purple blossoms coddled by purple bracts. A fine mist of dark purple spots appears on the open petals. After the first flush of flowers is passing full bloom, a secondary flush blooms above the initial flowers, extending the color show into midsummer.
‘Leading Lady Lilac’ behaves like a lady in the garden—she stays where you plant her and doesn’t run around. Her blossoms’ sweet nectar is highly attractive to butterflies, hummingbirds, and honeybees and her aromatic foliage is naturally deer resistant.
Monarda is native to eastern North America, so it is easy to grow and it multiplies quickly. The flowers’ sweet nectar attracts scores of hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees to the garden. The aromatic foliage smells like mint,citrus when crushed and is often used to flavor teas.
Photos courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc.
Size: 2.75″ Starter Plant
Height:
10-14″
Spread:
22-28″
Hardiness Zones:
4,5,6,7,8
Sunlight:
Full Sun
Part Shade
Attributes:
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Hummingbirds
Bee Friendly
Deer Resistant
