Eastern beebalm is an herbaceous perennial in the mint family (Lamiaceae) native to the southern and central US. The species epithet honors John Bradbury (1768–1823), an English botanist who traveled to the Midwest, where he would have seen beebalms. Eastern beebalm grows 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide in a neat mound. It tolerates full sun to part shade and medium to dry, even rocky, well-drained soils. It needs good air circulation and naturalizes well by self-seeding. Deadheading will help promote additional blooms. This plant blooms before other monardas in April to May, and the showy lavender flowers attract bees. The leaves are aromatic, and the plant is generally resistant to damage by deer. Plant eastern beebalm in the native plant or pollinator garden, near the front of the border, in groups or a naturalized area. I nsects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems : Powdery mildew can be a significant problem with the monardas, particularly in crowded gardens with poor air circulation. This species, however, has some mildew resistance. Rust can also be a problem. More information on Monarda .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Oblong
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf value
Edible; Fragrant
Leaf size
3-6 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Toothed, aromatic, oblong, grayish-green leaves. The leaves are sessile on the stems.
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Long-lasting; Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower detail
Tubular, two-lipped, pinkish to whitish, purple-spotted flowers appear in dense, globular, solitary, terminal heads atop square stems. Each flower head is subtended by (rests upon) a whorl of showy, purplish-tinged, leafy bracts. Blooms earlier than most monardas in April to May