Spotted Beebalm (Monarda punctata)

Monarda punctata is a multi-stemmed unbranched perennial wildflower. This beebalm bears narrow aromatic leaves on purplish stems. In summer, plants are topped by showy rounded clusters of creamy purple-spotted tubular flowers. Leaf-like pink, lavender, or creamy bracts form beneath each flower cluster. The stacked combination of colored bracts and speckled flowers is unique and showy. Pollinators flock to the blooms in sunny prairie-like settings or in gardens with sandy well drained soils.

Butterflies, skippers, hummingbird moths, hummingbirds, honeybees, bumblebees and other native bees sip nectar from the flowers. Caterpillars of several moth species feed on the foliage. The aromatic leaves and stems are unpalatable to deer and other herbivores.

Attracts: 🐛 🐝
Light: full sun
Soil: dry to medium, sandy