# Bee Balm (*Monarda didyma*) Bee Balm is a vibrant flower that attracts bees and butterflies with its sweet nectar. Its bright red blooms add color to gardens and meadows, making it a favorite among pollinators. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Gardens, Meadows - **Also known as:** Bee Balm Mint, Bergamot, Oswego Tea ![Bee Balm](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Indiandernessel_%28Monarda_didyma%294.jpg&width=800) Photo: Burkhard Mücke, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Indiandernessel_%28Monarda_didyma%294.jpg) ## Appearance The Bee Balm has vibrant, shaggy flower heads made of many tubular petals, often appearing in shades of red, pink, or purple. Its unique blossoms sit atop square stems, distinctively different from many other garden flowers. The leaves are pointed and slightly toothed. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Lamiaceae - **Genus:** Monarda ## Interesting facts - Bee Balm is a mint family plant, easily identified by its square stems! - Deer usually avoid eating this plant because of its strong, aromatic scent! - Its scientific name, Monarda, honors a Spanish botanist from the 1500s! - The 'flower' is actually a cluster of many tiny, tube-shaped individual flowers! ## Special abilities - **Nectar Beacon:** Bee Balm has bright, tubular flowers packed with nectar that act like a giant beacon, signaling hungry hummingbirds and bees to a delicious meal. - **Spicy Shield:** Bee Balm leaves contain aromatic oils, giving it a spicy scent that helps deter some hungry deer and other plant-eating critters from munching on them. - **Root Spreader:** Bee Balm can spread underground using rhizomes, allowing it to quickly form dense colonies and compete successfully with other plants in its habitat. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-150 cm - **Spread:** 60-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) — Gathers nectar and pollen from the flowers. - **Pollinates:** [Ruby-throated Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ruby-throated-hummingbird) (*Archilochus colubris*) — Sips nectar using its long beak. - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Collects nectar and some pollen. - **Eaten by:** Two-spotted spider mite (*Tetranychus urticae*) — Feeds on Bee Balm leaves. ## Traits - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers) - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Enjoy the beauty of Bee Balm from a safe distance and avoid touching or ingesting any part of the plant. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bee Balm? Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Bee Balm? 60-150 cm ### How wide does Bee Balm spread? 60-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on Bee Balm? 2-4 cm ### When does Bee Balm bloom? Summer ### Is Bee Balm edible? Yes ### Is Bee Balm toxic? None ### What is Bee Balm's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Brookside Reservation](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brookside-reservation) — Ohio, US · Park - [Central Shelby Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-shelby-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District - [Gloucester Downtown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/gloucester-downtown-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Shepherdstown Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shepherdstown-historic-district) — West Virginia, US · Historic District - [Candler Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/candler-park-historic-district) — Georgia, US · Historic District - [Ole Bull State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ole-bull-state-park) — Pennsylvania, US · State Park [View all places to see Bee Balm](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bee-balm) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Bee Balm: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bee-balm)