

Not all varieties are available at all locations. Not sure which bee balm to try? Consider these varieties to choose the perfect color and style to suit your yard.
Bee balm plant looks like mildew how to#
For more info on how to deal with and treat powdery mildew, see our guide on Dealing with Powdery Mildew. Also, make sure they are planted with plenty of space to grow, as avoiding crowding reduces the worst powdery mildew infections. Blooming for weeks from late spring through summer, they rest upon a whorl of decorative bracts and attract scores of butterflies and hummingbirds. This can be prevented somewhat by ensuring you plant bee balm in a moist area that doesn’t dry out, and making sure they get adequate moisture in the event of drought. Compact and early flowering, Monarda Balmy Purple (Bee Balm) is a clump-forming perennial which produces bright purple flowers, borne in dense, globular terminal heads. In our hot and humid summers, bee balm does have a reputation for being susceptible to powdery mildew. So, it blooms from the inside of the disc to the outside.

Blooms start small, blooming in the center and growing as the flower matures. There are also organic remedies to control the disease. Fungicide treatments are recommended for plants that suffer multiple years of leaf loss. The flowering season/period lasts for about 1 month in mid-summer. Although many times powdery mildew is merely cosmetic, it can negatively affect monarda (bee balm), zinnia and phlox through severe leaf loss. Its spores are spread by wind and once attached, the fungi absorbs nutrients from the plant in order to continue spreading. The 1-3 diameter flower-heads of Wild Bergamot are pink to light purple in color. It makes the surfaces of the plant look almost dusted with white and brown specs. Growing naturally around stream banks and overhanging trees, bee balm grows best in semi-shaded areas where moisture is freely provided. Powdery mildew is a group of fungi that attaches to the leaves and stems of plants including phlox, bee balm and peonies. With the growing interest in preserving and maintaining various species of pollinators, bee balm has seen a resurgance in popularity in many perennial garden. The leaves were used for many years in various teas, so it was not uncommon to see bee balm in many kitchen gardens across America. Named for Nicholas Monardes, a Spanish botanist who authored the first book on medicinal plants in North America in 1571, bee balm first came to prominence in North America in the areas near Lake Ontario. With a little care and patience, bee balm can become a yearly staple in anyone’s perennial garden.
Bee balm plant looks like mildew Patch#
There’s nothing more beautiful than a patch of bee balm blooming in a summer garden, with various birds, bees, and butterflies dancing around its numerous flower heads. Though the leaves become unsightly, it is rarely fatal and the plant will still bloom Consider adding low-growing perennials in front of Monarda like some of the Companion Plants suggested below.
