- Botanical name: Monarda bradburiana
- Light: full sun, part shade
- Water needs: low, medium
- Soil: clay, loam, gravel
- Height: 1 – 2 ft
- Bloom: April – May
- Sociability: 2
- Wildlife value: Pollinators, seeds for birds
The little cousin to the more famous Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) and Scarlet Bee Balm (Monarda didyma), Bradbury’s bee balm is a low maintenance herbaceous perennial that blooms before other Monarda species. The leaves are aromatic, and deer tend to avoid it due to the fragrance.
Spreading notes: Will self seed over time in low competition settings
Maintenance notes: None, plant dies back on its own in the winter
Sources: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/, https://www.wildflower.org/plants/, https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/plantfindersearch.aspx
