Bee Balm Seeds - Panorama Mix

Bee Balm Panorama Mix ~ 50 Seeds

Monarda – Bee Balm Panorama Mix is a spectacular perennial known for its vibrant blooms and pollinator appeal. Semidouble blooms in shades of lavender, salmon, magenta, and pale to bright pinks create a lively tapestry of colour in midsummer. The shaggy, tufted blossoms rise above aromatic foliage, adding both texture and fragrance to your garden beds and borders.

Beloved by bees, butterflies, and especially hummingbirds, bee balm is a pollinator magnet that will bring your garden to life with movement and colour. Beyond its ornamental value, Monarda has a long history of medicinal and culinary use, with its leaves often brewed as a tea. Its minty, citrus-scented foliage adds another layer of charm, making it a joy to grow and enjoy.

This hardy perennial thrives in full sun to part shade and adapts well to a range of soils, provided they are evenly moist. The Panorama Mix is showy, growing into dense clumps that return reliably each year. It’s an excellent choice for cottage gardens, pollinator patches, and cutting gardens, offering beauty, resilience, and ecological benefit.

• Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
• Suitable for cut flowers (bouquets)
• Deer resistant
• Fragrant
• Edible / Medicinal properties
  
• Open pollinated

Plant Details

• Botanical Name: Monarda didyma
• Life Cycle: Perennial
• Plant Height: 36-44 inches
  
• Seed Depth: Lightly press into soil (needs light to germinate)
  
• Plant Spacing: 12 – 18 inches
• Sun Requirement: Full sun to part shade
• Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
• Days to Germination: 10 – 30 days
• Germination Temperature: 65 – 70°F (18 – 21°C)
  
• Days to Maturity: 300 – 365 days 

Growing Instructions

Sow seeds indoors (recommended), start 12 - 15 weeks before last frost and cold stratify seeds for 30 days. Then,  7–10 weeks before the last frost date, pressing them lightly into moist soil. Do not cover, as light aids germination. Transplant outdoors after danger of frost has passed, spacing plants 18–24 inches apart. Bee balm thrives in full sun to part shade and prefers moist, rich, well-drained soil. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage a longer season of colour. Divide clumps every 3–4 years to maintain vigour.

Sow direct outdoors in late fall or early spring when soil can be worked, sowing thinly and barley covering seed. Thin to 12- 18 inches apart.

FAQ

Q: Is Bee Balm edible?
A: Yes, the leaves can be used fresh or dried to make tea with a flavour similar to Earl Grey.

Q: Will Bee Balm spread?
A: Yes, it spreads by rhizomes, forming dense clumps. Regular division helps keep it in check.

Q: How do I prevent powdery mildew in my Monarda Bee Balm?
A: Provide good air circulation by spacing plants properly, avoid overhead watering, and select a sunny planting site.