How to Grow Bee Balm in Pots and Beds

Bee balm

Overview

Bee balm is a North American perennial in the mint family. Its leaves go into tea, its flowers are edible, and those flowers draw bumblebees and hummingbirds (NC State Extension). Pick leaves for fresh tea as the plant grows, and dry a batch to keep.

Here’s the short version:

1. Is it easy? Yes, with two catches: mildew and spreading. A National Garden Bureau article hosted by Nebraska Extension says most newer varieties are “quite easy to care for” in rich or average soil. It needs full sun and steady moisture (Iowa State Extension).
2. Pick a species or a mildew-resistant variety. See Which bee balm to grow.
3. Start from a nursery plant, a division, cuttings, or seed. Seed is the slow route. See How to start bee balm.
4. Pot or bed: either. In a pot, use 5 to 10 gallons with drainage holes, in full sun. See Growing bee balm in pots.
5. It spreads underground, and it mildews. Dividing every two to three years helps keep the spread in check. Sun, airflow, and a resistant variety cut down on mildew. See powdery mildew and spreading.
6. Check the safety notes before you drink it. Three major herb references (NCCIH, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the European Medicines Agency) don’t cover it.

Not sure which spot gets six hours of sun? Our Start Your First Medicinal Herb Garden guide shows you how to watch the light on your patio before you plant. Bee balm needs the full six hours (see powdery mildew).

Which bee balm to grow

Bee balm is a group of plants, the genus Monarda. This guide covers the two most often grown:

• Scarlet bee balm, also called Oswego tea (Monarda didyma): an eastern native that likes moist soil (NC State Extension).
• Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa): native across most of North America (NC State Extension), with lavender flowers (USDA plant guide). It tolerates occasional dry spells (NC State).

Most garden varieties are hybrids of these two (Mt. Cuba Center).

Both species are native to North America. Our advice: for a pot, choose a compact pick such as ‘Petite Delight’. For a bed, choose any of Iowa State’s mildew-resistant picks, or a straight species such as wild bergamot if you’d rather skip the hybrids. Check the botanical name on the label.

Is bee balm the same as bergamot or lemon balm?

Not the citrus. Bee balm is also called bergamot, and wild bergamot is one of the two species here. But the name refers only to a scent “similar to the citrus fruit bergamot, an orange” (Harvest to Table). The bergamot orange is a different plant.

And no, bee balm isn’t lemon balm either. Both are in the mint family, but they’re different plants. Growing tips or safety information for one can’t be assumed to apply to the other.

Where to plant bee balm

Give bee balm at least six hours of direct sun a day (Iowa State Extension). It wants moist soil that still drains well.

In dry spells, Iowa State says to water every 7 to 10 days, soaking the soil 6 to 8 inches deep. Mulch helps hold the moisture. A small amount of all-purpose fertilizer in early spring is usually enough.

Space plants 2 feet apart (Iowa State). The USDA plant guide goes as close as 18 inches.

How to start bee balm

Nursery plants and cuttings

Nursery plant: the fastest start. Most newer varieties aren’t grown from seed, according to the National Garden Bureau article. That’s why you buy named varieties as plants.

Cuttings: take 3- to 4-inch stem tips any time from May to August. Strip the lower leaves and any flowers, then set the stems in a mix of sand and perlite. They should root in four to five weeks (USDA plant guide). Manitoba’s crop sheet calls cuttings the easiest method (Manitoba Agriculture).

Growing bee balm from seed

Start seed indoors six to eight weeks before your last frost, or sow outdoors two weeks before it (Baker Creek). Your local extension office can tell you that date.

Hands-on time is about 15 minutes for a tray.

1. Fill a tray with damp seed-starting mix.
2. Scatter the seed and cover it very lightly. Baker Creek says light helps it sprout. Harvest to Table is the outlier, sowing ¼ to ½ inch deep.
3. Keep the mix moist and warm. Seedlings come up in about one to four weeks, depending on the source.
4. After the last frost, harden the seedlings off and plant them out at the spacing above. Manitoba’s guidance for commercial growers is to transplant at four true leaves.

Does bee balm seed need cold stratification?

Sources differ. Stratification means giving seed a cold, damp spell before sowing.

• The USDA plant guide says to store wild bergamot seed in damp sand in the fridge for three months.
• Harvest to Table also says to chill seed for about three months.
• Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Baker Creek give no chilling step.

Our advice: follow the seed packet. If you have wild bergamot seed and no packet guidance, chill it first. Otherwise, sow without chilling, and try the fridge if few seeds come up.

How to divide bee balm

Divide every two to three years, in early spring as the shoots first appear (Iowa State Extension; USDA plant guide). It takes about 20 minutes per clump.

1. Dig up the clump.
2. Cut it into sections, each with two or three shoots and good roots (Iowa State). Take them from the outer edges, because the center tends to die (Harvest to Table).
3. Replant the pieces right away and water them.

Dividing also keeps bee balm from spreading, the USDA guide notes.

Growing bee balm in pots

Bee balm can grow in a pot: on its own, or with several plants sharing one large tub (Harvest to Table).

Plant Addicts recommends:

• Pot: 5 to 10 gallons, crack-proof and weather resistant, with drainage holes.
• Mix: standard potting mix with some compost.
• Place: full sun with good air movement. A patio or balcony works well.
• Water: when the top inch of soil feels dry.

Pots need more water than beds (Gardener’s Path). Our Start Your First Medicinal Herb Garden guide explains why to skip the gravel layer in the bottom.

Our advice: feed lightly, as in a bed. Divide or repot every two to three years. A pot also keeps the spreading roots in (Gardener’s Path).

Overwintering bee balm in pots

Outdoor pots die back in cold weather (Plant Addicts). You can bring a pot indoors, but it’s unlikely to flower there (Harvest to Table).

No bee balm source gives a fuller method, so here is general advice for perennials in containers from Colorado State University Extension:

• Sink the pot into a garden bed. Check it monthly and water if the soil is dry.
• Or move it into an unheated garage or shed, and check the soil moisture often.
• Or cluster pots against the north or east side of the house. Check those every two weeks and water as needed.

How to prevent powdery mildew on bee balm

That white powder on the leaves is powdery mildew, the most common bee balm problem (Iowa State Extension). It can hit every species, especially crowded plants with poor airflow (NC State Extension). NC State notes rust can also be a problem. The good news: Mt. Cuba Center calls mildew “generally only a cosmetic nuisance.”

This routine takes a few minutes a week in summer, plus one fall cleanup:

1. Grow it in full sun. Iowa State says plants in partial shade are more susceptible to powdery mildew.
2. Leave room for air. Space plants 2 feet apart (Iowa State) and thin crowded stems (NC State).
3. Water at the base in dry spells. Water-stressed plants are more susceptible (NC State). Keep the leaves dry (UGA Extension).
4. Don’t overfeed. Heavy feeding encourages soft growth that mildews (Iowa State).
5. Divide every two to three years (Iowa State).
6. Clear infected leaves and stems in fall (Iowa State).

Aim for less powder than last year. If it still shows up, that’s the cosmetic nuisance Mt. Cuba describes, and a resistant variety is the next step.

Mildew-resistant bee balm varieties

Iowa State Extension says “the best way for home gardeners to avoid the annoying problem of powdery mildew is to select mildew-resistant cultivars.” Its picks include ‘Marshall’s Delight’, ‘Gardenview Scarlet’, ‘Violet Queen’, ‘Raspberry Wine’, and ‘Colrain Red’. Compact choices include ‘Petite Delight’ and the ‘Pardon My’ series.

In Mt. Cuba Center’s three-year trial of 40 selections, ‘Violet Queen’ and ‘Raspberry Wine’ were also among the top overall performers. Those are overall ratings, not mildew scores. For pots, UGA Extension describes ‘Petite Delight’ as suited to container planting.

Does bee balm spread?

Yes. It spreads fast through shallow underground stems. Iowa State Extension says bee balms “spread rapidly via underground stems or rhizomes.” The USDA plant guide says wild bergamot “can get aggressive.”

Spread is worst in loose, moist soil (Gardener’s Path; Harvest to Table). Many types also self-sow (Baker Creek).

Is it invasive? Gardener’s Path says it isn’t considered invasive in most places, though it can be aggressive. If your garden borders natural areas, check with your local extension office.

How to keep bee balm from spreading

1. Divide every two to three years. See How to divide bee balm.
2. Grow it in a pot, either above ground or sunk into the bed (Gardener’s Path).
3. Or sink a root barrier 16 inches deep, with about 2 inches showing above the soil (Gardener’s Path).
4. Deadhead spent flowers. Iowa State says this prolongs bloom. Our advice: deadhead before seed sets to cut down on self-sown seedlings.

Deadheading takes a few minutes at a time. Each spring, check that the clump is the size you want.

Harvesting and drying bee balm

When to harvest bee balm for tea

• Leaves: pick any time. For the best flavor, pick them before the flower buds open (Harvest to Table).
• Flowers: pick them when they’re almost fully open (Harvest to Table).

Commercial growers in Manitoba cut when plants are 80 to 90 percent in bloom, in the second year (Manitoba Agriculture).

Before you drink any, note that major herb references don’t cover bee balm’s safety. If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medicine or making it for a child, ask your doctor first (safety notes).

How to harvest bee balm

Everyday picking

• Rule: pick leaves as you need them (Harvest to Table). The National Garden Bureau article suggests a few flowers and leaves for a batch of iced tea.
• Our advice: pick clean leaves with no white powder.
• Check: the plant keeps most of its leaves.
• Time: a minute.

One cut for drying

• Rule: before the flower buds open, cut the stems about an inch above the ground. Harvest to Table makes this cut in early summer and again in late summer.
• Time: about 10 minutes for a pot.

How to dry bee balm

It takes about 10 minutes to set out or bundle a harvest.

1. Spread the leaves and flowers on a screen or drying tray in a warm, shady place (Harvest to Table). Or tie the stems with kitchen twine ad and hang them, as our guide to drying herbs explains.
2. Check that the leaves crumble when you rub them. That means they’re dry.
3. Our advice: strip the leaves and flowers into a labeled glass jar with a tight lid ad and keep it in a dark cupboard.

The drying guide also covers air, oven, and dehydrator drying, with typical times.

Once it’s dry, see Common preparations below for ways to use it.

Traditional uses

NC State Extension lists Oswego tea as a common name. It notes that “the Oswego Indians of New York state also used the leaves for tea.”

The USDA plant guide for wild bergamot says “the Iroquois used the plant in the making of a beverage.” The same guide lists many other traditional medicinal uses by Native American nations, which this guide doesn’t cover.

Parts used

The leaves and flowers, fresh or dried, are what you use. Harvest to Table says bee balm tastes like mint with citrus notes, and the petals taste like oregano. For timing, see When to harvest bee balm for tea.

A 2021 study describes wild bergamot’s essential oil as a natural source of thymol. Thymol is also one of the main components of thyme’s essential oil (European Medicines Agency). Both statements are about the essential oil, not leaf tea, and say nothing about effects. For the herb itself, see our thyme guide.

Common preparations

Before you try any of these: three major herb references (NCCIH, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the European Medicines Agency) don’t cover bee balm’s safety. Ask your doctor or midwife first if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, your doctor or pharmacist if you take any medicine, and your pediatrician before giving it to a child (safety notes).

• Tea/infusion: steep fresh or dried leaves and flowers in hot water. See our guide to hot infusions. The cautions above apply (safety notes).
• Oxymel: our advice is to steep dried bee balm in vinegar and honey for a sweet-sour drink base. See our guide to oxymels. Never give honey to a child younger than 1 (CDC). Cover the jar with a non-corrodible lid (Oregon State Extension), and ask your doctor first if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or on any medicine (safety notes).
• Infused oil: our advice is to use dried bee balm only, for a scented herbal oil. Our guide to infused oils explains why dried, not fresh.
• In the kitchen: NC State Extension lists it in teas, jellies, soups, stews, and fruit salads, and the flowers are edible. The cautions above apply (safety notes).

Read the safety notes below before you drink or eat any bee balm preparation.

Companion and garden notes

NC State Extension says scarlet bee balm draws bumblebees, swallowtail butterflies, and ruby-throated hummingbirds. Its dead stems are used by stem-nesting bees. Big seed heads feed birds too (UGA Extension).

NC State lists both species as resistant to deer and rabbits.

Bee balm and thyme both want full sun. But thyme wants sharp drainage and soil that dries between waterings, while bee balm wants steady moisture. Give them separate pots.

Safety notes

These notes are about drinking or eating bee balm, not growing it. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the European Medicines Agency have no page or monograph on bee balm.

What that means: missing safety data doesn’t mean it’s proven safe. NCCIH says this of herbal products sold as dietary supplements: “there is a lot we don’t know about the safety of many of these products.”

Pregnant or breastfeeding: our advice is to ask your doctor or midwife before drinking it.

Children: ask your pediatrician first. Peppermint has some published guidance for children: European peppermint leaf medicines are labeled for ages 4 and up (see the safety notes in our peppermint guide).

Medicines: NCCIH advises telling your health care providers about all the supplements and medications you take. Our advice goes further: if you take any medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist before drinking bee balm.

Oxymels: the CDC says, “Do not feed honey to a child who is younger than 1 year old.” For vinegar steeped in a jar, Oregon State Extension says to “cover jar with a non-corrodible lid.”

Pets: a search for an ASPCA listing for bee balm turned up none. If you have pets that chew plants, ask your vet.

Labels: buy seed and plants by botanical name. See Which bee balm to grow.

Bee balm asks for sun, airflow, and a spade every few years. Keep up with those, and picking tea leaves is the easy part.

Ready to plan the rest of your patio? Start Your First Medicinal Herb Garden walks you through pots, soil, and light.

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