The plants can be cut back to the ground after flowering, and this is often the best way to prevent powdery mildew if you don't mind a temporary gap in your landscape. Space bee balm 30 inches apart in loose, loamy soil and water well in times of drought. When growing bee balms you can control powdery mildew through appropriate cultural practices. We have a big patch of bee balm behind the nursery along the creek floodplain - The dieout of ash has opened the woods to let a lot more sunlight in, and the bee balm has reacted very well to the moist soil and sun. How to Grow Bee Balmīee balm is adaptable and vigorous, as long as its need for a moist soil that doesn't dry out is met. Cut off stems with this condition and discard them. The typical strain grows to 48 inches tall, though form varies by seed strain.īee balm is very susceptible to powdery mildew, especially in hot, dry weather - The best remedy is proper siting in an area with moist soils and some afternoon shade.īee balm supports several species of moths, and it is deer and rabbit resistant - They don't like to eat the aromatic leaves. This condition appears as a grey/white coating on the leaves (it really does look like powdery mildew). It blooms over several weeks, and can be encouraged to bloom again if pruned back quickly after blooming. It goes by many names, including scarlet monarda, Oswego tea and bergamot, and sometimes it's spelled 'scarlet beebalm'. didyma, also called scarlet bee balm, is one of the most popular. The Balmy series offers other colors, too. UsesĪnother common name of bee balm is Oswego Tea - The leaves were used by the colonists to use as tea after the tea act that precipitated in the Boston Tea Party.īee Balm is a very useful garden perennial. The plants resist mildew, deer and rabbits, and the 10 to 12-inch tall stems are good for cutting. The flowers attract hummingbirds and especially bees, hence the common name. In hotter areas, it is typically found in wooded areas in the North, it can be found in open meadows. Many commonly grown annual and perennial flowering plants, as well as ornamental grasses, can be infected by powdery mildew. The leaves of the plant are very aromatic, with a strong Bergamot Orange scent.īee balm is a plant for moist soils in areas that receive cool summers. Ranging from New England to Minnesota south to Georgia, bee balm is mostly common in the Appalachian region.īee balm grows to 48 inches tall, followed by bright red flower heads that look like an exploding firework. One scourge of the flowering perennial bee balm ( Monarda didyma) is powdery mildew. bradburiana shows strong mildew resistance. Bee balm is a fragrant, brightly-colored native wildflower that is very easy to grow. Monardas have the bad reputation as sponges for powdery mildew however, M.
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