Spotted beebalm is an herbaceous perennial in the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to the eastern United States, from New Jersey to southern Florida and west to Texas. Several varieties are recognized, but only var. punctata occurs in NC. Generally found in prairies, sandy areas, rocky woodlands and coastal plains. The specific epithet is Latin for “spotted” and references the violet speckles that dot the corolla. Spotted beebalm typically occurs in full sun to part shade areas. It prefers moist soil but will tolerate occasionally dry sites. It is a drought-tolerant but short-lived plant. Spotted beebalm is a clump-forming plant that typically grows 1.5 to 2 feet tall. It spreads by rhizomes to form large clumps, but is not considered to be too aggressive. Spotted beebalm is in bloom from summer to fall and makes excellent cut flowers. Remove spent flowers to improve plant appearance and possibly to prolong bloom. This species is very attractive to butterflies, wasps, hummingbirds and bees. It is the host plant for the larvae of both the gray marvel ( Anterastria teratophora ) and the snout ( Pyrausta generosa ) moths. Use spotted beebalm in borders and mass plantings in pollinator, butterfly, rain, cottage or night gardens. Fire Risk: This plant has a medium flammability rating. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Plants are susceptible to powdery mildew and rust, especially in crowded gardens, but it is usually in the late season after flowering. Prune stems to increase airflow. In addition, drought-stressed plants are more susceptible to disease than plants growing with ample water. 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
Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 6 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Lanceolate
Leaf margin
Dentate; Entire
Leaf value
Fragrant
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Narrowly lanceolate leaves with toothed to smooth edges and pointed tips. The foliage smells of Greek oregano.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow
Flower value
Good Cut; Long-lasting; Showy
Flower form
Cyme; Head; Spike
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Rosettes of white to pale yellow, purple-spotted, tubular, pubescent flowers occur in whorls, forming a dense, elongated spike at the end of the stem or from leaf axils. Each whorl is subtended by large, conspicuous, whitish, purple-tinged, leaf-like bracts. The stacked combination of colored bracts and speckled flowers is unique and showy. Flowers bloom from July to September.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit detail
Ovoid nutlets are produced in brown button-like cymes. Fruits are available in September and October.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green; Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Purplish green-brown square mint family stems.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern USA
Distribution
AL , AR , CA , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NJ , NM , NY , OH , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI Canada: ON
Wildlife value
Attracts bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds. Ruby-throated hummingbirds and butterflies nectar from the blooms. Members of the genus Monarda support the following specialized bees: Dufourea monardae, Perdita (Perdita) gerhardi, and Protandrena abdominalis. This is a host plant for the Gray Marvel Moth, Anterastria teratophora, and the Snout Moth, Pyrausta generosa and P. signatalis.