Unlike other bee balms with rounded flower heads, Spotted Bee Balm has tiered whorls of tubular flowers with showy pink or lavender bracts beneath them.
Its name comes from the purple-spotted cream-colored flowers, giving it a distinctive ornamental look.
Leaves contain thymol, an essential oil with antibacterial properties. Historically used by indigenous peoples and settlers as a tea for colds and digestive issues.
Deer tend to avoid it due to its strong aroma, while pollinators flock to its rich nectar supply.
Unlike other bee balms with rounded flower heads, Spotted Bee Balm has tiered whorls of tubular flowers with showy pink or lavender bracts beneath them.
Its name comes from the purple-spotted cream-colored flowers, giving it a distinctive ornamental look.
Leaves contain thymol, an essential oil with antibacterial properties. Historically used by indigenous peoples and settlers as a tea for colds and digestive issues.
Deer tend to avoid it due to its strong aroma, while pollinators flock to its rich nectar supply.
Bloom: mid-summer to early fall
Habitats: hill prairies; sand prairies; sandy Black Oak savannas; sandy fields; stabilized sand dunes along Lake Michigan
Lifespan: perennial
Moisture: mesic to dry
Plant type (height): forb (1 to 3 feet)
Requirements: full sun
Soil: sandy
