Cambridge Scarlet Bee Balm (Monarda didyma 'Cambridge Scarlet')
mo-NAR-dah DID-ih-mah 'Cambridge Scarlet'

Deciduous Perennial in the Lamiaceae Family

Monarda didyma, commonly called Scarlet Bee Balm or Oswego Tea, is native to eastern North America, from Maine and Ontario south to the mountains of Georgia, where it grows in moist thickets, stream banks, and ditches. Its brilliant red, two-lipped flowers in dense whorled heads are a magnet for hummingbirds, and its leaves were historically brewed into a tea by Native Americans and early colonists (the name "Oswego Tea" comes from the Oswego people of New York). Nearly all of the many named Bee Balm cultivars grown today, bred chiefly for compact size, flower color, and powdery mildew resistance, trace back to this species.

Pros

  • Outstanding hummingbird plant; among the most reliable hummingbird magnets of any perennial
  • Long summer bloom
  • Tolerates consistently moist soil better than many perennials
  • Aromatic foliage that deer and rabbits generally avoid

Cons

  • Prone to powdery mildew, especially in humid weather or crowded plantings
  • Spreads by rhizomes and can become congested, needing division every few years
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 24 - 48 inches tall. 24 - 36 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Formal Garden, Fragrant Foliage, Full Sun, Full Sun, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Good for Rain Garden, Medium, Medium, Native to North America, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Perennial, Pond, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tolerant of Loamy Soil, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Salt, Well-Drained Soil, Woodland Garden
Flower Color
 

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Guardian Blue Delphinium,
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!