Spotted Beebalm
Monarda punctata
Purple-spotted yellow blooms with showy pink bracts draw dozens of pollinator species. Thrives in dry, sandy soil, and the scented leaves deter deer.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
The most pollinator-rich Monarda in our collection, with unusual spotted flowers and aromatic foliage that repels deer while drawing every bee species in the area.
Spotted Beebalm is the oddball of the Monarda family and the best one for pollinators. The flowers are unusual, pale yellow with purple spots, surrounded by showy pink to purple bracts that do most of the visual work, and they attract a staggering diversity of insects. Watch a blooming plant on a warm August afternoon and you'll count dozens of species: bumblebees, sweat bees, skippers, checkered beetles, and more. The plant practically hums. The strongly aromatic foliage smells of thyme and oregano, genuinely pleasant and a powerful deer deterrent. It thrives in dry, sandy, or rocky soils where most other Monardas would struggle, making it invaluable for challenging garden spots. It may behave as a short-lived perennial in the garden but self-seeds reliably, so the colony persists and shifts naturally over time.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown spotted beebalm propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Dry
- Mature size
- 1.5–3 ft · 12–24 in wide
- Bloom time
- July–September
- Bloom color
- Pink
- USDA zones
- 3–9
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Native range
- Eastern and central North America. sandy soils, open fields, roadsides, and coastal plains from New Hampshire to Nebraska south to Florida and Texas
Care notes for spotted beebalm.
Plant in full sun in dry to average, well-drained soil. this is essential. Spotted Beebalm does not tolerate wet or clay-heavy conditions. It may be short-lived in the garden but self-seeds freely in open, sunny areas; allow some seeding to maintain the colony. The aromatic foliage needs no deadheading for deer deterrence. Divide established clumps in spring if needed to control spread.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside spotted beebalm.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.