As luxurious as any designer fabric, Red Velvet Bee Balm, Monarda, will enchant you with rich cherry red blossoms. The fluffy flowers are so prolific they are known to cover the top half of the tall 24-30″ plant. New foliage has a colorful bronze cast. Red Velvet Bee Balm makes a robust, substantial landscape presence and is excellent for mass landscape plantings and filling space in the middle of the border. You and the pollinators will be delighted to know the bushy plant reblooms with a second flush extending the beautiful flowers. Red Velvet Bee Balm is a member of the outstanding Upscale collection of Monarda. Members of this collection are vigorous, heavy bloomers, and all exhibit good mildew resistance.

Bee Balm, Monarda, is native to Missouri, so this cultivar is easy to grow and multiplies quickly. As Bee Balm’s name suggests, the flowers’ sweet nectar attracts scores of bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and other important pollinators to the garden. When crushed, the aromatic foliage smells like mint and is often used to flavor teas.

Plant in full sun, at least 6 hours of sun a day, but if you have afternoon sun you can get away with a little less. Add organic matter when planting. Although drought tolerant once established, plants will benefit from deep soakings. Keep well watered when plants are setting up buds and flowering for best blooming.