Plains Bee Balm

Plains bee balm is the drought-tolerant Monarda of the southern Great Plains, growing naturally on dry, sandy, rocky soils of the short-grass and mixed-grass prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado where rainfall is too scarce and the climate too extreme for other bee balms to survive. The plant is intensely aromatic — a strong, pleasant oregano-like scent rises from the leaves when brushed — and it has been used by indigenous peoples and settlers as a culinary herb and tea plant; it makes an excellent substitute for Mexican oregano in southwestern cooking. Small, pink to lavender whorled flowers appear on branching stems in summer and are heavily visited by native bees and small butterflies for nectar; the aromatic oils deter deer and most mammalian herbivores. In dry, sunny native garden situations and xeriscape designs, plains bee balm provides both ornamental interest and aromatic culinary value with essentially no irrigation required once established in sandy, well-drained soil. Спосіб посадки: Посів у відкритий ґрунт Відстань між рослинами: 6–12 дюймів Висота: 12–24 дюймів Дні до схожості: 14–21 Температура ґрунту для схожості: 18–24°C

Plains bee balm is the drought-tolerant Monarda of the southern Great Plains, growing naturally on dry, sandy, rocky soils of the short-grass and mixed-grass prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado where rainfall is too scarce and the climate too extreme for other bee balms to survive. The plant is intensely aromatic — a strong, pleasant oregano-like scent rises from the leaves when brushed — and it has been used by indigenous peoples and settlers as a culinary herb and tea plant; it makes an excellent substitute for Mexican oregano in southwestern cooking. Small, pink to lavender whorled flowers appear on branching stems in summer and are heavily visited by native bees and small butterflies for nectar; the aromatic oils deter deer and most mammalian herbivores. In dry, sunny native garden situations and xeriscape designs, plains bee balm provides both ornamental interest and aromatic culinary value with essentially no irrigation required once established in sandy, well-drained soil. Спосіб посадки: Посів у відкритий ґрунт Відстань між рослинами: 6–12 дюймів Висота: 12–24 дюймів Дні до схожості: 14–21 Температура ґрунту для схожості: 18–24°C --- Час посадки: 0–2 тижнів від останнього весняного заморозка Direct sow in spring in dry, sandy, well-drained soil in full sun; plains bee balm is an annual or short-lived perennial that self-seeds reliably in dry, open conditions — sow in masses on poor, sandy soil where it can naturalize without competition from taller plants.