From: Van Remsen <najames@LSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Bee Balm Advice
To: HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
Early in the spring, I planted
six Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) plants in a new bed in my backyard
- <snip> They never tried to bloom.
...snip...
... well in deep shade. I felt like my bed was a good combination
of part sun/part shade.
Thanks,
James Abbott
Baton Rouge, LA
James/HUMNET: although sold in
local nurseries, I know of no one who has been able to get it
to flower in Baton Rouge area -- must be slightly beyond its acceptable
heat/humidity regime for flowering.
--
Van Remsen
LSU Museum of Natural Science
Foster Hall 119, LSU
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
===============================
From: Rrovansek@AOL.COM
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Bee Balm Advice
To: HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
James,
Bee balm (Monarda didyma) doesn't rgow very well in the
deep south climate of Baton Rouge. I think it is simply too hot
and humid for too long there. Bee balm is native mainly in the
mountains from about north GA northward, and in the lowlands as
well from NY or maybe PA north. It'll generally thrive in sun
or shade (deep shade is not preferred - you'll get better growth
and more floewrs with some direct sun) from the mid south north
into Canada. bee balm prefers moist, rich soil ( as do many plants)
but unlike many hummer flowers, bee balm actually tends to occur
naturally in moist rich soils. Even if you can get it to grow
in Baton Rouge, it will probably flower poorly. Same here in southern
CA, but here I think the problem is a lack of cold in the winter,
since we don't have heat or humidity issues in Huntington Beach.
Ron Rovansek
Huntington Beach, CA
==============================
From: Miriam Davey
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] bee balm
To: HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU
Humnet:
On Bee Balm for this area (8b):
For us, Monarda didyma produced lush,
nearly invasive vegetation but few blooms. My gardening gut feeling
is that
its lack of bloom had more to do with day length and maybe even
angle of
light than with heat & humidity. Since a fall to late fall
bloom was what
was wanted, it wasn't going to fill the bill anyway. A much
better hummer
Monarda for this area is the Louisiana native, M. fistulosa.
It's lavendar,
perennial, and blooms in summer. It does well in gardens.
MiriamLDavey
BatonRougeLA