How to Grow Bee Balm (Monarda)
This article is part of our “How to Grow Herbs” series. If you would like to learn more about how to work with this plant after you harvest it, please refer to our Herbal Aromatherapy Certification Program™ here.
Bee balm is a member of the Lamiaceae or mint family. It is sometimes called bergamot (though it has no relation to the citrus fruit known by the same name or the essential oil derived from the fruit with the same name) or by its botanical name - Monarda. A certain species of bee balm, Monarda fistulosa, is also called wild bergamot. You may also know it by the names Oswego tea or horsemint.
There are several species of bee balm that are commonly planted in aromatic gardens and they all differ slightly in aroma and taste. Monarda didyma is the species in the photo below and has a sweeter scent and flavor than the other species – its flowers are usually red or pink and there are also several cultivars of it available on the market.
Monarda citriodora has a more lemon-like note to its aroma and flavor and is sometimes called lemon mint or lemon bee balm.
Monarda fistulosa smells and tastes a lot like a mix between thyme and oregano and can be used as an oregano substitute in cooking and in some remedies. It makes the lavender-colored blooms shown in the image above.
Other species of bee balm, including Monarda punctata - spotted bee balm, are also valuable additions to the apothecary.
Growth Habit
Bee balm grows as a perennial (which means that the plant will come back year after year in areas where they are hardy) that spreads through underground creeping rhizomes much like peppermint does.
Most bee balm species are hardy down to USDA zones 4 or 5 (-20°F to -30°F / -28°C to -34°C), though M. citriodora is hardy to zone 7 (5°F or -15°C) and is grown as an annual in colder areas.
Monarda didyma tends to prefer more rich, moist, well-draining soil in partial shade while other varieties (M. fistulosa, for example) can grow in dry, rocky, or sandy soil in full sun. I have found that the plants will also grow in partial shade / sun but that they can sometimes produce fewer blooms in such conditions.
As the mother plant sends out its runners and continues to expand each year, the original plant gradually loses its vigor. Because of this, you will want to divide your bee balm every 3 to 4 years in late fall or winter by digging it up, separating the new growth from the oldest growth, and replanting the newer growth with 1 to 2 feet (30-60 cm) of spacing between plants. The oldest parts of the clump can be composted when they start to lose their productivity.
Disease Concerns
Bee balm tends to be pretty resilient in the garden but can be prone to developing powdery mildew if you plant them too close to one another without sufficient air flow between plants, especially in humid areas. With sufficient airflow, though, they can grow well with other species. I have grown bee balm interspersed with and cozied right up to sages, echinaceas, St. John’s wort and other plants, and they grow quite happily in diverse garden beds as long as other plants do not crowd them.
Growing from Seed
Bee balm can be started from seed, though the seed does not remain viable long in storage. You will want to try to source fresh seed for best germination results. If you are growing more than one species of Monarda, be aware that they can cross-pollinate so their seed-grown offspring may not be true to the parent plants. Because of this, most people prefer to grow bee balm via rooted cuttings or root divisions.
Direct sow Monarda seeds in the fall for germination in the spring or start them indoors in late winter and plant out in spring. Scatter them over the surface of the soil, lightly cover with soil, and then water in gently. Keep the soil evenly moist (but not waterlogged) until the seedlings emerge and transplant them into the garden once they have a few sets of true leaves.
Flowering and Harvest
Bee balm plants produce one large flush of flowers between late spring and early summer. If you cut back the plant after it flowers, you can often encourage the plant to produce another round of flowers in late summer or fall before your first frost arrives. Trim plants back by cutting just above a node for best results.
Learning More
If you would like to learn more about how to work with aromatic plants, I hope you will join me in our Herbal Aromatherapy Certification Program™ here at Floranella! In it, I teach students how to safely and effectively work with over 100 different herbs as well as their applicable essential oils and hydrosols from the garden to the still to the apothecary. I hope to see you in class one day!
About the Author
Hi there, I’m Erin! I am the main instructor here at Floranella. I am a clinical herbalist, aromatherapist, artisan distiller and organic gardener based in the Pacific Northwest. Here at Floranella, I teach people how to work with plants safely and effectively from the garden to the apothecary. Thanks for being here! I’m glad you stopped by.
