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, Sep 248 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Sep 258 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Sep 268 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.
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