White Bee Balm (Basil Bee Balm)

White bee balm is the most shade-tolerant of all native bee balms — the only species that thrives in partial shade under deciduous trees rather than requiring full sun — and produces whorls of pure white to pale lavender flowers on upright stems from June through August, providing a critical nectar source for native bumble bees, hummingbird moths, and butterflies in shaded garden areas where most pollinator plants fail. Its strong basil-like fragrance (the 'clinopodia' means 'resembling basil') makes it useful as a culinary herb and potpourri ingredient; leaves dried at peak bloom make an aromatic tea with a floral, oregano-like character. Unlike red bee balm (Monarda didyma) and wild bergamot (M. fistulosa), white bee balm is less aggressive and more restrained in its spread, forming tidy clumps rather than rampaging colonies; it is also more resistant to the powdery mildew that plagues its relatives in humid conditions. An excellent choice for native shade gardens under mature hardwoods where its white flowers provide elegant, fragrant bloom from early to midsummer. Спосіб посадки: Посів у відкритий ґрунт Відстань між рослинами: 18–30 дюймів Висота: 24–48 дюймів Дні до схожості: 14–21 Температура ґрунту для схожості: 16–21°C

White bee balm is the most shade-tolerant of all native bee balms — the only species that thrives in partial shade under deciduous trees rather than requiring full sun — and produces whorls of pure white to pale lavender flowers on upright stems from June through August, providing a critical nectar source for native bumble bees, hummingbird moths, and butterflies in shaded garden areas where most pollinator plants fail. Its strong basil-like fragrance (the 'clinopodia' means 'resembling basil') makes it useful as a culinary herb and potpourri ingredient; leaves dried at peak bloom make an aromatic tea with a floral, oregano-like character. Unlike red bee balm (Monarda didyma) and wild bergamot (M. fistulosa), white bee balm is less aggressive and more restrained in its spread, forming tidy clumps rather than rampaging colonies; it is also more resistant to the powdery mildew that plagues its relatives in humid conditions. An excellent choice for native shade gardens under mature hardwoods where its white flowers provide elegant, fragrant bloom from early to midsummer. Спосіб посадки: Посів у відкритий ґрунт Відстань між рослинами: 18–30 дюймів Висота: 24–48 дюймів Дні до схожості: 14–21 Температура ґрунту для схожості: 16–21°C --- Час посадки: -4–0 тижнів осіння посадка Direct sow in fall or early spring in moist to average, well-drained, slightly acidic soil in partial shade; white bee balm is more shade-tolerant than other Monarda species and thrives in the dappled shade of a woodland edge or shrub border.