Pony Beebalm
Pony Beebalm
Monarda pectinata - 8,000'
This beautiful balm showed up here this year in a glorious en masse display all over our bottomland, after laying low for many years. This is the thing with Colorado and other mountain states, no two years are alike. Besides the drought we've been experiencing, conditions need to be right for native plants - if they are not, they will lay in wait until they are.
But burst they did and I was so thrilled - they were buzz, buzz, buzzing with pollinators! Color is white to pink to violet. Seed-heads often turn to a dark maroon. Plus they smell minty, they play well with others - just lovely. As with all the mint family - Pony Beebalm has square stems.
It's good medicine, and a good friend to other plants. Good for colds of course.
Grows 6-18" depending on rainfall, and can make a nice sized clump. While it grows up here at 8,000', it is often found from the plains to the Piñon/Juniper foothills.
Plant in fall, barely cover the seed or provide a cool, moist stratification for 45 days.