Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata)
Monarda punctata, commonly known as Spotted Beebalm, is a native perennial (or short-lived perennial/annual in some areas) found in sandy prairies, dry fields, open woods, and roadsides in parts of Illinois. It thrives in well-drained, sandy or rocky soils and full sun, making it ideal for dry, open habitats and drought-tolerant pollinator gardens.
This unique and showy plant typically grows 1 to 3 feet tall and features square stems with narrow, lance-shaped, aromatic leaves. From mid to late summer, it produces whorls of tubular, pale yellow to pinkish flowers with purple spots, arranged in stacked layers above colorful, pink to lavender-tinged bracts that resemble flower petals. The blooms are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and beneficial wasps, especially native solitary bees.
For Illinois native plant enthusiasts, Monarda punctata is an eye-catching and ecologically rich addition to xeric gardens, native meadows, and pollinator plantings. It offers bold, unusual blooms, strong pollinator support, and pairs well with Butterfly Weed, Rattlesnake Master, and Little Bluestem in dry, sunny plantings. Its fragrant foliage also helps deter herbivores and adds an herbal quality to native garden borders.
Monarda punctata, commonly known as Spotted Beebalm, is a native perennial (or short-lived perennial/annual in some areas) found in sandy prairies, dry fields, open woods, and roadsides in parts of Illinois. It thrives in well-drained, sandy or rocky soils and full sun, making it ideal for dry, open habitats and drought-tolerant pollinator gardens.
This unique and showy plant typically grows 1 to 3 feet tall and features square stems with narrow, lance-shaped, aromatic leaves. From mid to late summer, it produces whorls of tubular, pale yellow to pinkish flowers with purple spots, arranged in stacked layers above colorful, pink to lavender-tinged bracts that resemble flower petals. The blooms are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and beneficial wasps, especially native solitary bees.
For Illinois native plant enthusiasts, Monarda punctata is an eye-catching and ecologically rich addition to xeric gardens, native meadows, and pollinator plantings. It offers bold, unusual blooms, strong pollinator support, and pairs well with Butterfly Weed, Rattlesnake Master, and Little Bluestem in dry, sunny plantings. Its fragrant foliage also helps deter herbivores and adds an herbal quality to native garden borders.
Monarda punctata, commonly known as Spotted Beebalm, is a native perennial (or short-lived perennial/annual in some areas) found in sandy prairies, dry fields, open woods, and roadsides in parts of Illinois. It thrives in well-drained, sandy or rocky soils and full sun, making it ideal for dry, open habitats and drought-tolerant pollinator gardens.
This unique and showy plant typically grows 1 to 3 feet tall and features square stems with narrow, lance-shaped, aromatic leaves. From mid to late summer, it produces whorls of tubular, pale yellow to pinkish flowers with purple spots, arranged in stacked layers above colorful, pink to lavender-tinged bracts that resemble flower petals. The blooms are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and beneficial wasps, especially native solitary bees.
For Illinois native plant enthusiasts, Monarda punctata is an eye-catching and ecologically rich addition to xeric gardens, native meadows, and pollinator plantings. It offers bold, unusual blooms, strong pollinator support, and pairs well with Butterfly Weed, Rattlesnake Master, and Little Bluestem in dry, sunny plantings. Its fragrant foliage also helps deter herbivores and adds an herbal quality to native garden borders.
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