We all want to encourage pollinators to populate our gardens. After all, without those pollinating insects, we don’t have flowers or produce! And so, to draw beneficial insects to our yards, we tend to use plants like bee balm.
But what is bee balm, exactly? It’s a part of the mint family (Lamiaceae), and an awful lot of people grow bee balm… does that mean it’s a mint? Does bee balm do anything more than just look pretty?Bee Balm is just one of the many common names for all Mondarda species. All members of the mint family, bee balm wildflowers attract pollinators and people alike. All are native to southern Canada through the Eastern US. Some species hail as far south as Mexico.
If you’re looking to add color to your herb garden, plant bee balm towards the center or rear of your garden space, as they will be taller than most annual herbs, and try growing thyme, basil, parsley, or chives around it.
For a burst of added color against the purple or red bee balm, try growing daylilies for a bright yellow, or select a nicely contrasting blue by planting agapanthus.
And finally, for nice blends of similar-sized plants, growing black-eyed Susans or echinaceas nearby can make your blooms similar in height, but if you want a lower flower beneath these, try a dwarf phlox along the base to add a spark of brightness beneath the larger blossoms.There are many different varieties of the bee balm Monarda species, and about 50 commercial cultivars commonly available. But an awful lot of bee balm varieties are naturally-growing wildflowers in the United States.