P365, Day 2 - Bee Balm

[grundyscribbling]

There's actually quite a bit of bee balm in my garden this year - it went nuts once winter gave up the ghost. My mother thought I should thin it. I didn't. It's glorious.

P365 masterpost.

Comments

[spiced_wine]

Oh, lovely to see the bees, too! I would like to get some of that (I’ve never heard of it) I scattered bee bombs the year before last, and they’re really good, but anything else would be a great addition.

[grundyscribbling]

I'm generally phobic about wasps and bees, but these fuzzbutts don't sting, and generally just hang out on flowers making goofy faces, so I can get close enough to take photos!

You might know bee balm under another name? (Horsemint, oswego tea, or bergamot? It's Monarda in the Latin, but I couldn't swear to which particular variety this one is.) You should be able to find it in nurseries/garden centers, or if it's native in your area, you might be able to take cuttings.

[spiced_wine]

Oh, yes, found it. Still called Bee balm. Apparently it will grow okay here. My sister wants some too. Thank you :)

[grundyscribbling]

You're welcome! If both you and your sister are going to get some, it might be an idea to get two different colors and trade cuttings after the first year. (There's red, pink, and purple shades, and so far as I know, the bees like them all. And if bee balm is doing well, taking cuttings/divisions.)

[sulien]

A beautiful plant and anything that helps bees is great in my book.

[grundyscribbling]

This one went so nuts this spring that not only do I have a good size clump of it in the pollinator garden, I was able to take some divisions for my attempt at hugelkultur. (It's one of the few plants that the deer or possibly groundhogs have not eaten so far.)