PlantFiles: Horsemint, Spotted Beebalm, Bee Balm
Monarda punctata

I received seeds marked 'Monarda punctata - Spotted bee balm from a seed swap on DG in the fall of 2008 and Wintersowed them in a milk jug around Feb. 15th, 2009. I didn't take the time to research what the plants would look like so I was pleasantly surprised when the plants started to bloom. I hope to save seeds and grow many more next year.

grew this from seed from Park's in about 1995. Also saw lots of it wild in Calvert County at Flag Ponds, near the beach. An interesting unusual bloom.

I received this plant as a throw in when I purchased several others at a native plant nursery in Naples back in January. The plant looked so pathetic I don't think the owner felt right charging me for it. He did note I would be totally blown away when I saw it in full bloom.

I didn' t know what to expect so with caution the original plant went into the dirt under my Sable palm in January. Under this palm is the safest place in my yard for unknown plant behavior. Under the palm it received decent winter light which was coming in from the South. The plant grew just enough to provide me with cuttings to experiment with.
The cuttings I planted out in the yard with a different exposure for each plant. The cuttings have grown two or three times the size of the one still under the Sable palm. It turns out it doesn't get enough sun there. The one pictured is just about under the East border wall of my yard. A second plant was put in just about five feet away from the first plant as insurance. I have a third plant from cuttings on the North side of my pool fence. It's in full sun most of the day, but will loose the sun the fastest of the three, as the sun is already reached it's peak here for the year. Within the next month it will be out of the sun. I will be able to observe how the plant acts without sun after it has bloomed. All this is because I don't know how these plants act in the winter time. I remember how it looked when I got it.

This nursery it came from is on the North side of Naples. They have much colder winters there than we do here in Fort Lauderdale. I know that sounds hard to believe, but it's true. Tempratures drop 15 to 20 degrees lower than we get here in Fort Lauderdale. I am hoping the plant doesn't die back completely in winter but I don't know for sure.

Now that it has begun to bract up and flower, I have to admit the nursery owner was right. the bracts have a great light violet coloration and the small flowers peeking out from under the bracts have a lot of character. I quote from Floridata "The little corolla is tube shaped and bilaterally symmetrical with two lips, in typical mint fashion. The flower tubes are pale yellow with purple spots, less than an inch long, and protrude from the rounded heads. The leaves smell like fine Greek oregano."
Yep, that about describes it.
I am beginning to see butterfly action on and a lot of flying around, the flowers.
This plant is a Florida native.

From the Plants for a Future website: "Horse mint was traditionally taken by several native North American Indian tribes to treat nausea and vomiting, and to encourage perspiration during colds. It was also applied externally as a poultice to treat swellings and rheumatic pains. Nowadays it is used primarily to treat digestive and upper respiratory tract problems."

This is the first year that I took careful notice of this plant. It grows wild in the dry sand barrens of our zone 4b area. I was quite surprised when I looked closely enough at the plant to realize that it wasn't a dryed out stiff "left-over" of some prairie weed, but rather a plant with a very unique flower.

Did very poorly (zone 4) didn't like being with the Celosia, they grew much faster and swamped it... I want to try it again some day.

This is one of the best plants there is for bringing in all types of pollinators (bees, butterflies, wasps, etc.) The plant can get leggy, but light prunings will keep it in bounds. At the end of the season, the dead stems should be cut back. It spreads readily by seed in the south. The longer stems of the plant will sometimes mat down and root, forming a rather large clump of the plant. The plant a very pleasant scent when brushed, crushed, or cut. The flowers are very unusual.

Mondara punctata is a herbaceous, semi-woody, rangy, shrub-like plant. The opposing leaves are lanceolate with a scent resembling oregano. Both the square stems and the leaves are hairy.

The flowers are approximately 3/4" in length, yellow with purple spots and have an arching upper lip. The small flowers are rendered insignificant by the showy pinkish lavender bracts from which they grow.

Mondara punctata is found throughout Eastern North America from Vermont to Minnesota, Eastern Texas & Mexico growing along roadsides, old meadows, woodland openings, and any area where the soil has been disturbed.

Though full sun is preferred, horsemint grows in semi-shaded areas, as well. It prefers sandy soil, and is salt tolerant, so it is an excellent beachside plant. It is attractive to butterflies. In cultivation, it looks best in groupings. The dried bracts are used in dried floral arrangements and wreaths.