The bee balm in my garden has done exceptionally well this year.  Most years it just gets about a foot and a half tall and struggles by the time daytime high temperature are 100°F or more.  I can only speculate the good late winter and early spring moisture we received this year helped this plant develop a better than usual root system this year.  This is not a drought tolerant plant in my desert climate but with regular watering, it is adaptable to my soil if I keep the water coming during the hottest part of the growing season.

What is Bee Balm

Bee balm, Monarda didyma, is a perennial plant in the mint family.  Its aroma tends to

The flower is actually a head consisting of many flowers. When these flowers have been pollinated the corollas will fall off and leave a ball of seeds.

repel deer and rabbits but its flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees. The flowers can be lavender, purple, red, or white and very small.  The flowers appear on each stem very tightly at the tip so they look like a pompom.  After pollination, the corollas in the pompom fall off and a ball of seeds remain to ripen.

What conditions are best for Bee Balm

My desert region of the country is not an ideal climate for bee balm.  Though it is native to North America, it grows at the edge of wooded areas and along stream banks where soils are moist but not soggy and rich in organic matter. In my desert garden, I have to create those of conditions if I want bee balm to survive and look good.

How to compensate for less than ideal conditions

In my garden, there are a number of microclimates created by the planting of trees and shrubs.  Trees and shrubs provide shade, reduce wind, give off moisture as they transpire, and deposit organic matter that when left in place enrich the soil and improve its water holding capacity.  The trick is placing my bee balm in the garden is to find just the right location that gives it adequate light exposure and protection from drying winds and extreme summer heat.

I planted my bee balm where it gets morning sun but afternoon shade.  The area also

Bee Balm is a perennial that likes moist, organic soil.

had leaves and residue from previous weeds that had piled up and sat there for a number of years.  I cleared the pile out but much of the residue that was at the bottom of that pile was well broken down.

My dry climate can dry the soil out quickly so I made sure I had a good drip system in place and other plants that were in the same perennial flowerbed had similar water requirements.  In the hottest part of the growing season, this flowerbed needs watering every two days to keep the plants from wilting.  Fortunately, the surrounding trees and shrubs help maintain a more humid microclimate around my perennials that are not naturally adapted to my hot dry climate.

 Is it worth compensating for less than ideal conditions?                                                                

In its native range, bee balm can grow to 4′ or 5′ tall but in my garden, I’m lucky to have it reach 1′ to 2′ in height.  This year was unusually wet from March to May and my bee balm grew to 5′ in height.  The hummingbirds have been really enjoying it and the butterflies have been putting on quite a show.  In spite of deer visiting my garden, the

Bee, humming birds, and butterflies are attracted to bee balm.

bee balm is untouched.  I wish I could say the same for my roses that I have had to spray with a foul-smelling concoction I purchased at a local garden center.

I would not plant a lot of bee balm but a few clumps placed in just the right microclimate in my desert garden has been very appealing to the eye and drawn desirable wildlife that I enjoy watching.  I just don’t expect it to achieve its full glory every year.  This year has been a treat.