Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata)

Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata)

Spotted bee balm doesn't just stand out among other bee balm species, it stands out from anything else in bloom. It builds its flowers in soft, pastel tiers: pale yellow flowers dotted with burgundy, tucked into stacked whorls of rosy pink to lavender bracts. The effect is architectural, strange and beautiful, kind of more like something you'd expect to see in a desert rather than a Midwestern prairie. It's high aromatic, with a spicy/herbal scent similar to oregano. In our gardens, Spotted Bee Balm ranks easily in the top 10 for pollinator activity; our small patch becomes a buzzing hotspot all afternoon in the peak of summer, covered in so many different types of insects, including huge carpenter bees. Watching these plants abuzz is a fascinating and highly entertaining time. Light, airy, and full of motion, this plant brings something truly different and unique to naturalistic plantings.

Growing Conditions
Light: Full sun
Soil: Dry to medium; well-drained sandy or rocky soils preferred
Height: 1–3 feet
Spread: 1–2 feet
Zones: 3–8
Bloom time: July through September

Wildlife Value
Spotted Bee Balm supports a wide range of pollinators, especially native bees and beneficial wasps like digger wasps (Crabronidae) and thread-waisted wasps (Sphecidae), which help control pest insects. While it’s not a known host plant, its flowers offer abundant nectar during the hottest, driest part of the season—when many other blooms fade—making it invaluable for mid- to late-summer pollinator support in Wisconsin.

Blooms Alongside: butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), rough blazing star (Liatris aspera), prairie coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata), hoary vervain (Verbena stricta), purple cone flower (echinacea purpurea)