Monarda punctata
Sources describe a drought-tolerant, mint-scented perennial with lavender- and white leaf-like bracts around light yellow tubular flowers with dark spots, readily self-seeding and naturalizing in suitable conditions while attracting a wide range of pollinators and beneficial insects.
Common Names
Dotted Horsemint, Horsemint, Bee Balm, Spotted Beebalm, Spotted Horsemint, Dotted Mint
Summary
Monarda punctata, commonly called Spotted Beebalm or Spotted Horsemint, is a herbaceous perennial in the mint family native to eastern North America. It forms clumps 1–3 feet tall with square stems and aromatic leaves, and features yellow tubular flowers spotted with purple arranged in whorls, each whorl subtended by pink, lavender, or white leaf-like bracts. Nectar attracts pollinators including butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Leaves are fragrant and can be used in teas.
For cultivation, it prefers full sun to part shade and dry to medium-moisture, well-drained soils, and is drought-tolerant. It spreads by runners but is not overly aggressive and readily self-seeds in favorable conditions. Hardiness is typically in USDA zones 3–9. In landscapes, it suits borders, meadows, prairie plantings, wildflower gardens, and butterfly-friendly borders, and is deer- and rabbit-resistant.
Lifecycle
Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Height
1-3 feet
Spread
9-12 inches
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally Full Sun; tolerates Partial Sun to Partial Shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained sandy soil with some moisture-retentive capability
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil, preferably sandy soil or loam that drains well.
Soil pH
6.8-7.2, circumneutral, tolerates acidic to slightly alkaline soils
Bloom Color
Yellow with purple spots
Bloom Time
Late Spring to Early Fall
Foliage Color
Green
Fall Foliage Color
Yellow
Leaf Lifecycle
Other
Growth Rate
Fast
Seasons of Interest
Summer and Fall
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 22 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Lamiales
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Genus
- Monarda
Inferior Taxa
Monarda punctata var. arkansana Monarda punctata var. correllii Monarda punctata var. coryi Monarda punctata var. intermedia Monarda punctata var. lasiodonta Monarda punctata var. occidentalis Monarda punctata var. punctata Monarda punctata var. villicaulis