Bee Balm, spotted

Easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best in sandy soils with consistent moisture. Tolerates somewhat poor soils and drought. Remove spent flowers to improve plant appearance and possibly to prolong bloom. Spreads by runners to form large clumps, but is not considered to be too aggressive. Monarda punctata, commonly called spotted beebalm, is native to the eastern U.S. and typically occurs in dryish soils on prairies, sandy areas and coastal plains. It is uncommon in the state of Missouri, but has primarily been found in several eastern counties adjacent to the Mississippi River. A clump-forming, mint family member that features branching or simple, square stems which rise typically to 1-2 tall. Yellow, two-lipped flowers which are spotted with purple appear in the upper leaf axils and stem ends in two or more tiered, but interrupted, stem-ringing clusters, each cluster being subtended by (resting upon) a whorl of showy, pinkish, leafy bracts. The toothed, aromatic, oblong leaves (to 3") may be used in teas. Long summer bloom period.