Bee balm (Monarda didyma)

[JBtheExplorer]

Question: when the bee balm is all done for the year can you cut it all down to about couple inches from the ground? I think the answer is yes. I guess if it looks like it could be winter interest it can stay ---also I don't see seeds for the birds.

I take after the best gardener there is, mother nature, and I leave them up.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

I have planted red bee balm for a lady.
https://flic.kr/p/wp83Ab

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Bee Balm Claire Grace has lavender flowers.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/394346511095064849/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Blue Moon Monarda is lavender blue.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/342977327877432436/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Monarda Schneewittchen

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/331507222579706383/

 

[Marck]

Another genus, closely related to Monarda, are the Coyote Mints (Monardella spp.), native to western North America.
Like there generally larger cousins, Monardella spp. will provide fragrant foliage and beautiful flowers beloved by pollinators. Pictured here is Monardella odoratissima ssp. villosa, native to central California.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Purple Rooster Monarda has royal purple flowers.
https://flic.kr/p/2noNtc9

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Purple Rooster Monarda has royal purple flowers.
https://flic.kr/p/2noNtc9

That's not monarda. It's knapweed. Not native to the U.S.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Never heard of bee balm, pretty sure that's what I call bergamot, not the knapweed.

 

[Sinajuavi]

Confusion arises due to the Bergamot Orange...

Calling it beebalm risks confusing it with lemonbalm. The Latin names are the best to use...

The common names can easily lead one astray. Same in Spanish... where "yerba buena" could be any of a number of herbs.

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Gardenview Scarlet Monarda

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/569846159112889786/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

A close-up of Didyma Scarlet Monarda

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/827817975263995003/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Leading Lady Plum Monarda

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/381820874670546505/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Cherry Pops Bee Balm

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/85075880453599904/

 

[LouisFerdinand]

Grand Marshall Monarda

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/262968065731783063/