Bee balm (Monarda) is a vibrant flowering perennial native to North America, known for attracting hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. The range of colors available to gardeners is surprisingly broad, resulting from extensive hybridization and selective breeding. This wide spectrum of hues means the answer to “what colors does bee balm come in” extends far beyond the typical garden red.
The Core Color Palette
The colors found in cultivated bee balm generally fall into four primary groups, offering shades for almost any garden design. The most historically common group includes the true reds, which can range from bright scarlet to a deep, rich crimson. Popular examples of these fiery hues include cultivars like ‘Jacob Cline’ and ‘Red Velvet’, which provide intense blocks of color.
The pink spectrum offers a wide gradient, moving from soft, pale pinks to vivid magentas. Gardeners often choose varieties such as ‘Pink Lace’ or ‘Raspberry Wine’ for a bright, cheerful splash of color in mid-summer.
Purples and lavenders form another significant category, providing cooler tones that contrast well with the reds and pinks. Cultivars like ‘Balmy Purple’ or ‘Leading Lady Plum’ offer deep, almost violet shades that hold up well in the sun.
Whites and very pale creams are often bred specifically for improved disease resistance, particularly against powdery mildew. While less flashy than the reds, white varieties like ‘Snow White’ provide a clean accent and are valuable for illuminating a garden space in the evening light.
Wild Varieties Versus Cultivated Hues
The extensive color range available today is a product of crossing a few foundational North American native species. The two most prominent wild species that form the basis of modern cultivars are Monarda didyma and Monarda fistulosa. In the wild, Monarda didyma, often called Scarlet Bee Balm, is naturally found in shades of red and occasionally pink.
Monarda fistulosa, or Wild Bergamot, naturally features paler colors, typically ranging from light lavender to pinkish-purple. The vast array of hybrids seen in garden centers result from breeders crossing these species to capture the best traits, creating new flower colors while improving characteristics like compact growth habit and resistance to common fungal issues.
Environmental Factors Influencing Flower Color
External factors can temporarily affect the visible intensity of bee balm blooms. Light intensity is a major influence, with plants grown in full sun exhibiting richer, more saturated color compared to those in shadier locations. Intense sunlight, however, can also cause the color to fade over the lifespan of an individual flower.
The pigments responsible for the bright colors, known as anthocyanins, naturally degrade as the bloom ages, often causing the flower to appear paler or whitish before it drops. Unlike certain other garden plants, like hydrangeas, the color of bee balm is not significantly altered by changes in soil pH. The red of a ‘Jacob Cline’ will remain red regardless of whether the soil is slightly acidic or neutral.