This old plant in English gardens has been treasured as a valuable and striking feature for the herbaceous border and for moist positions elsewhere.
The writer’s garden grows in light soil, on a border facing west, in company with Iris kaempferi, another moisture lover. However, it is content with dryish conditions in our gardens—Monarda flowers from July to September.
We owe this charming plant to an American, Mr. J. Bartram of Philadelphia, who, as far back as 1744, sent seeds to a friend in England, where it flowered the following year.
Mr. Bartram found the plant growing at Oswego, hence one of its popular names, oswego tea. It is found wild by streams in eastern Canada and the eastern states as far south as Georgia.
Monarda’s Pleasant Scent
Another interesting feature of Monarda is its foliage’s pleasant scent, which explains the other common name, bee-balm.
In clusters, the delicate, rich red flowers are generally produced at the top of the stems about 2’ feet high.
As in all red flowers, discrimination is desirable in choosing its associates. The writer’s opinion contrasts very agreeably with that lovely blue-flowered plant, Ceratostigma willmottianum, which flowers from July until frost.
Propagated Easily
Monarda is easily propagated by division or by seeds that are freely produced. The fine form known as Cambridge Scarlet is a seedling raised years ago.
44659 by W Chamberlain