Monarda

Family

Lamiaceae

Botanical Name

Monarda

Plant Common Name

Beebalm, Horsemint

General Description

Pretty flowers and a long history of herbal medicinal uses have made Monarda garden favorites. There are approximately 18 species that make up the genus. These herbaceous mints are commonly called beebalms or horsemints and may be annuals or perennials. All are native to North America with a few extending down into Mexico. The name Monarda honors Monardes, a Spanish botanist who wrote a book in the 1500s which describes many New World plants.

Monarda either forms tidy clumps or spreads by rhizomes (rooted underground stems). As with almost all members of the mint family all species have square stems and pairs of leaves held opposite one another. The aromatic leaves are hairy or smooth with gently toothed margins and may be oval, elliptical or narrowly lance-shaped. Leaf color ranges from silvery gray-green to deep green.

The flowers of Monarda come in two distinct inflorescence forms. Those of some species, like Monarda punctata and Monarda citriodora, come in tiered columns delineated by colorful bracts. Others, like Monarda didyma and Monarda fistulosa, have terminal clusters of flowers supported by a single whorl of basal bracts. The individual blooms are tubular, two-lipped and lightly fragrant. They come in shades of red, lavender, pink white or yellow and the lips are sometimes spotted. Monarda flowers attract lots of pollinators. The red-flowered Monarda didyma draws many hummingbirds while most others are great generalists that attract everything from bees and butterflies to wasps and beetles. The fruits which follow are small, inconspicuous, brown nutlets.

All monardas are interesting enough for modern gardens. The popular scarlet beebalm (Monarda didyma) is a perennial wildflower native to eastern North America. It = spreads to form large clumps and has showy, red blooms. Shrubby horsemint (Monarda fruticulosa) is a clump-forming perennial subshrub native to the southern tip of Texas. It is drought tolerant, bears lovely pink and white blooms and has fine, silvery foliage. There are hundreds of cultivated varieties and hybrids including Monarda ‘Scorpion’, which boasts fragrant, brilliant magenta blooms that stand tall atop strong upright stems.

Hardiness and culture depend on the species or variety, but most Monarda are adaptable and grow best in full sun and well-drained soil with average fertility. Regular moisture encourages good growth and flowering. Many species are susceptible to powdery mildew but most popular modern day cultivars have been bred to be resistant. Good airflow between plants will slow the spread of mildew. Monarda are vigorous growers and most species self-sow lightly. Those that spread by rhizomes tend to spread quickly, especially if they are culturally happy, and may need to be divided every three years or so. Large clumps have s tendency to die out in the middle. Division will rectify this problem as well. Monarda are showy, fragrant and excellent for sunny mixed borders, wildflower plantings, and hummingbird gardens. They are also suitable for herb and kitchen gardens. Many species have historic herbal and medicinal uses. The aromatic leaves of all Monarda are not favored by deer.