Monarda Sugar Buzz® 'Bubblegum Blast'

Monarda Sugar Buzz® 'Bubblegum Blast': Hot Pink Domes, Bushy and Bold

'Bubblegum Blast' is hot pink with a white base and looks exactly like it chewed through a whole pack on the bus ride home. Fragrant flowers, minty leaves. BLOW A BUBBLE. POP!

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Monarda hybrid
• Common Name: Bee Balm
• Series: Sugar Buzz®, from Walters Gardens
• Height: 60 cm (24 in)
• Spread: 70–80 cm (28–32 in)
• Flowers: Hot pink with a white base, in domed heads about 5–6 cm (2–2.5 in) across
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to late summer (July to August)
• Foliage: Dark green and mint-scented, with above-average resistance to powdery mildew
• Features: Fragrant flowers and foliage, good cut flower
• Plant Patent: USPP 27,497

Where to Plant: Plant it in the middle of a sunny border, in a cottage garden, in a pollinator bed or in a large container. Its broad, bushy shape fills space quickly, which makes it handy for covering ground in a new garden.

Companion Plants: Gaura 'Whirling Butterflies' adds airy white flowers at 60 to 90 cm from June to September, lightening the bright pink blooms. Chelone 'Black Ace' stands at 120 to 150 cm behind and opens white flowers from August to October. Polemonium 'Heavenly Habit' fills the front with violet flowers at 25 to 30 cm from May to July. This trio grows well in full sun or part sun.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun in average to fertile, evenly moist, well-drained soil. It tolerates light shade but tends to spread more there and flower less. Water at the base during dry spells and leave room for air to move. Deadhead to tidy the plant. Cut stems to the ground in late fall or early spring. It spreads by shallow runners. Divide every few years in early spring to keep the clump in check.

History: 'Bubblegum Blast' was bred by Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan. It grew from seed collected in 2009 from Grand Parade™ bee balm, with the pollen parent unknown.

Final Thoughts: The hummingbirds will stick to it like gum on a shoe. Plant a few by the door. NO SPITTING ON THE SIDEWALK.