plant

Bee balm

Monarda didyma

Updated 8 Jul 2026 · AI-parsed entry

Bee balm (Monarda didyma) — a plant, for Full sun, Medium water.

What it needs & gives back

↓ Needs

Sunlightfull sun to partial shade
Watermedium to high

↑ Gives back

Nectarabundant
Pollenabundant
Biomassmedium

Through the year

Emergence

Emergence of new shoots in spring after the last frost and when soil temperatures rise above 50C.

Flowering

Flowering occurs in mid-summer as days lengthen and air temperatures are consistently warm.

Senescence

Foliage begins to die back with the first autumn frosts.

Dormancy

Enters dormancy after hard frosts, persisting through winter as rhizomes.

Timing is relative to your local season (temperate Northern Hemisphere).

Soil interactions

Drainagemoist but well-drained
Nitrogen fixingNo
MycorrhizalYes
Accumulatespotassium, calcium
Soil textureloam, sandy_loam
Organic matterMedium
Compaction toleranceLow

Propagation

Methodsseed, division, cuttings
Difficulty2 / 5
Establishes in~1 yr
Stratificationcold_moist
Self-seedingModerate
Divisionspring_or_fall

Wildlife & pests

Attractsbees, butterflies, hummingbirds
Can host diseasespowdery mildew