Monarda fruticulosa: Country Or Region Of Origin
South Texas
Plant Profile: Monarda fruticulosa
Taxonomy: Monarda fruticulosaNames
Bee Balm, Shrubby Beebalm, Shrubby Horsemint, Spotted Bee Balm
Phonetic Spelling:mo-NAR-da froo-tih-koh-LOH-suh
Genus:Monarda
Species:fruticulosa
Family:Lamiaceae
Spotted Beebalm is a perennial shrub that can reach heights of up to 2 feet, characterized by its extensively branched stems and is exclusively found in the southernmost region of Texas. Its aromatic flowers draw in native bees and bumblebees.
This plant thrives in sandy loam under full sunlight, particularly in dry environments, but it can be challenging to locate for purchase. For optimal growth, consider selecting a Monarda species that is native to the East Coast. Refer to the suggestions provided on the left for more options.
Monarda fruticulosa Feature Summary
Monarda fruticulosa Image Gallery
Tags
#fragrant flowers
#perennial
#white flowers
#pink flowers
#native bees
#herb garden
#summer flowers
#pollinator plant
#late spring flowers
#sandy soil
Similar Plants
Monarda fruticulosa Feature Summary
Attributes
South Texas
Attracts native bees and bumblebees
Perennial
Fragrance
Attracts Pollinators
Colorful
Attractive Flowers
Flowers
Short spikes with evenly spaced rounded flower heads that are pink and white with darker spots along the inside. Bracts are white with pink tinges. Individual flowers are 2-lipped.
Pink
White
Spring
Summer
Bracts
2-3 rays/petals
Lipped
Leaves
Green leaves are linear, opposite and sessile (stemless) to subsessile. The tips are acute, sometimes notched and bases are tapering. Length up to 1&1/3 inches long.
Green
Simple
Opposite
Linear
Entire
1-3 inches
Fragrant
< 1 inch
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Herb
Multi-stemmed
Erect
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
Coastal
Piedmont
9a
9b
10a
10b
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Stem
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Pollinator Garden
Heat
Dry Soil
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Bees
Monarda fruticulosa Image Gallery
Monarda fruticulosa Attributes
Monarda fruticulosa: Wildlife Value
Attracts native bees and bumblebees
Monarda fruticulosa: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Monarda fruticulosa: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Monarda fruticulosa: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Monarda fruticulosa Flowers
Monarda fruticulosa: Flower Description
Short spikes with evenly spaced rounded flower heads that are pink and white with darker spots along the inside. Bracts are white with pink tinges. Individual flowers are 2-lipped.
Monarda fruticulosa: Flower Color
Pink
White
Monarda fruticulosa: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Monarda fruticulosa: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Monarda fruticulosa: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Monarda fruticulosa: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Monarda fruticulosa: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Monarda fruticulosa Leaves
Monarda fruticulosa: Leaf Description
Green leaves are linear, opposite and sessile (stemless) to subsessile. The tips are acute, sometimes notched and bases are tapering. Length up to 1&1/3 inches long.
Monarda fruticulosa: Leaf Color
Green
Monarda fruticulosa: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Monarda fruticulosa: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Monarda fruticulosa: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Monarda fruticulosa: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Monarda fruticulosa: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Monarda fruticulosa: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Monarda fruticulosa: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Monarda fruticulosa: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Monarda fruticulosa Whole Plant Traits
Monarda fruticulosa: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Monarda fruticulosa: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Monarda fruticulosa Cultural Conditions
Monarda fruticulosa: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Monarda fruticulosa: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Monarda fruticulosa: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Monarda fruticulosa: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
9a
9b
Monarda fruticulosa: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Monarda fruticulosa Stem
Monarda fruticulosa: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Monarda fruticulosa Landscape
Monarda fruticulosa: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Monarda fruticulosa: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Monarda fruticulosa: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Monarda fruticulosa: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
