Monarda didyma |
Native Region: East Coast North America
Zone Range: 4-10
Preferred Climate: Semi sun; evenly moist, fertile, well drained soil.
Harvest Date: Friday 31 October, 2008
Seed count: 75-100
Description:
Handsome perennial with a bergamot (Earl Grey tea) scent. Whorled, raggety flower in dense button heads on tall stalks come in shades of pink, red, purple, and magenta. Abundant nectar source for hummingbirds from June to frost. Deer proof. Makes great tea. Makes modest sized clumps.
Notes:
Open pollinated seed. Needs evenly moist soil during summer. Will suffer from powdery mildew in drought conditions. Will not bloom in heavy shade, but loves dappled shade of fruit trees and other deciduous tree/shrub types. Makes a very refreshing tea. I like to make a cooling herbal tea of bee balm and lemon balm for those hot summer days.
Cultivation:
Sow 4 mm deep. Keep moist; success greater with plastic cover. Opt. germination temp: 15-22 C. Days to germ: 14-21.
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