The Bee Balm Dotted Mint, 'Monarda lambada', is a variety of Bee Balm that has a unique and dramatic flower cluster. To protest tea taxes, the original colonists drank Bee Balm tea. It is native to to the eastern United States. The Dotted Mint has a pleasant odor of mint and basil and it attracts hummingbirds. The Bee Balm stems are topped with 2 to 3 inch tight clusters of light yellow flowers having purple spots and large pink bracts. They bloom in mid-summer for about 6 to 8 weeks.
The Dotted Mint Bee Balm prefer full sun except in areas that have very hot summer days. In those areas, light shade is recommended. They prefer moist, well drained soils. Bee Balm does not like soil to dry out. In the fall, cut all stems of Dotted Mint to the ground for winter. Plant in the spring about 2 weeks before last average frost date or in late summer/early fall at least 2 months before first frost. This Bee Balm is used for cut flowers and is edible. It can be used to make tea or chopped and added to recipes for duck and pork.