Bee balm leaves8/10/2023 The most common use for the leaves is to make a refreshing citrusy tea. Prevent powdery mildew by thinning the stems, choosing a site with good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering.īoth leaves and flowers of bee balm are edible. ![]() Even then, unless it happens year after year, the plant will probably survive. It may become so severe that it causes premature leaf drop. ![]() Powdery mildew is generally just a cosmetic problem and won’t kill the plant. The main problem with bee balm is that it can develop a foliar disease called powdery mildew, which looks like powdery white blotches on the leaves. Division improves air circulation and plant vigor.ĭeadhead bee balm flowers to keep plants looking tidy. When lower leaves start to yellow, cut stems to three or four inches and you may get a second fall bloom. The edges can then be divided and replanted. It is also on the short list of plants that are able to thrive near black walnut trees.īee balm prospers in a wide range of soils including sandy, loamy or clayey, both dry and moist. Plants should be divided about every three years as the center of the plant dies out. Bee balm’s strong scent and taste make the plant deer resistant. It has been described as “oregano with hints of mint and thyme,” but the scent is so unique that it really defies description. It is best to stick with the natives though, as they provide sustenance to hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and many other insects while the cultivated varieties may not.īee balm’s toothed, 4-inch leaves have a distinctive odor. Horticulturists have developed several cultivated varieties of bee balm from the two natives in a range of colors and sizes. MASTER GARDENER: Tips on planting flower and vegetable transplantsĪlong with prairie plantings, bee balm can find a home in the middle or back of any sunny perennial flower bed or border, herb garden, meadow, natural area or rain garden. MASTER GARDENER: There’s a new worm in town, and it's a bad guy ![]() The pom-pom shaped flower heads sit atop square, open-branched stems from 2 to 5 feet tall and bloom from June to August. Lavender bee balm flowers are about 3 inches across while the scarlet ones are larger, at 4 inches. Another native bee balm, Monarda didyma, boasts bright scarlet flowers. It goes by a few other names including monarda, wild bergamot and Oswego tea. Bee balm is a pretty perennial lavender-colored flower native to Wisconsin prairies.
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