Monarda Sugar Buzz® 'Rockin' Raspberry'

Monarda Sugar Buzz® 'Rockin' Raspberry': Shaggy Raspberry Blooms on a Tidy Clump

'Rockin' Raspberry' turned up the amp and hasn't turned it down since. Deep raspberry-purple heads on very dark, minty foliage, with bees, butterflies and hummingbirds moshing up front. THE NEIGHBOURS FILED A NOISE COMPLAINT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Monarda hybrid
• Common Name: Bee Balm
• Series: Sugar Buzz®, bred by Walters Gardens
• Height: 40–60 cm (16–24 in)
• Spread: 50 cm (20 in)
• Flowers: Deep raspberry-purple, about 5–6 cm (2–2.5 in) across, on well-branched stems
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to late summer (July to August)
• Foliage: Very dark green and mint-scented, in an upright clump
• Features: Above-average powdery mildew resistance, good cut flower
• Plant Patent: PP28752

Where to Plant: Its compact size fits smaller gardens, the middle of a border or the front of a deep bed. Plant three or five together for a solid block of colour, and grow a few extra for cutting.

Companion Plants: Calamintha nepeta 'Blue Cloud' edges the bed with a low blue haze at 25 to 30 cm from June to September. Eupatorium 'Atropurpureum' rises to 150 to 210 cm behind and carries pink flower heads from August to October, carrying on after the bee balm. Malva sylvestris 'Zebrina' adds striped pink flowers at 60 to 120 cm from June to September. All three suit full sun or part sun.

Plant Care: Plant it in full sun to part sun, in average soil that stays evenly moist but drains well. Full sun gives the most flowers and helps keep the leaves clean. Bee balm that dries out hard in summer is more likely to get mildew, so water deeply in dry spells and aim the hose at the soil, not the leaves. Snip off spent flower heads to keep it tidy. Cut the stems down in late fall, or leave them for winter and cut them in early spring. Every three years or so, divide the clump in spring and thin crowded stems so air can move through.

History: The Sugar Buzz® series came out of the Walters Gardens breeding program in Zeeland, Michigan, selected to stay compact and resist powdery mildew better than many older bee balms. The genus name honours Nicolás Monardes, a Spanish physician who wrote about plants from the Americas in the 1500s.

Final Thoughts: Mildew resistant, deer resistant and great for cutting. Plant it front and centre and let it headline. ROCK ON.