Monarda didyma

Scarlet beebalm’s spiky red flowerhead has a look that’s positively electrifying. In nature, red flowers are rare and indicate that the plant is pollinated by birds rather than bees. Like humans, birds can perceive long wavelength red hues, but bees can’t. In eastern North America, the primary bird involved in flower pollination is the ruby-throated hummingbird. True to form, scarlet beebalm is one of the very best plants for attracting this whirring avian wonder.

Scarlet beebalm prefers growing in average moisture under full sunlight to partial shade. In natural situations it is typically found along woodland edges or alongside forest streams, where it can form sizable colonies through spreading via rhizomes. Like its close relative, wild bergamot, scarlet beebalm is prone to powdery mildew, which commonly affects the plant after it finishes blooming. Watering scarlet beebalm during dry spells will help to keep the plant robust, minimizing the mildew. The concern over powdery mildew is largely an aesthetic one, however, and the fungus does little to impair the plant’s health. Blooming primarily during the month of July, scarlet beebalm is a striking complement to white bergamot, purple coneflower, and early goldenrod.

Photo 1 and 2 © Sonnia Hill, CC BY 2.0.