Don't Leave Bee Balm In Your Flower Beds — Give It A Show-Stopping Afterlife Like This

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Bee balm (Monarda spp.) is one of those gorgeous herbaceous perennials that looks stunning in any flower bed or as part of a cottage garden display. It's also an aromatic flowering herb that may keep mosquitoes away from your garden, and it's popular with gardeners who like to focus on pollinators. The lovely tubular flowers attract all kinds of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The seed heads even keep songbirds happy in the fall. But did you know that you can give bee balm a show-stopping afterlife by using the blooms as cut flowers?

The long stems are ideal for adding to arrangements, and the fragrant aroma of the leaves can help freshen your home. The unusual flowers also look quite stunning when displayed as a bunch on their own in a pretty vase. Ideally, you want to harvest the main stem just as the blooms start to open. You'll find that the plant will continue to produce side shoots with additional flowers when you do this. Time your cutting for the coolest part of the day, preferably early morning, and place the base of the cut stems into boiling water for around seven to 10 seconds. Alternatively, use something like FloraLife Quick Dip to dip the stems into, as this will help to preserve the blooms for longer. Essentially, they should last in a vase for around seven to 10 days.

If you're already a fan of bee balm, you'll know that there are around 25 species of this plant, as well as many different cultivars and hybrids that you can choose from. As part of your flower garden, bee balm, which grows in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9, prefers a sunny spot and moist, but well-drained soil. It's brilliant as a border plant for your driveway, too, because rabbits and deer will generally leave it alone.

Bergamo bee balm, which is a hybrid of Monarda citriodora or lemon bee balm, is one of the best varieties to use for cut flowers. It has outstanding pale pink to purple blooms and citrusy, tea-scented leaves. Scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma), one of the top flowers to plant for luring hummingbirds into your garden, is another stunning species perfect for cut flowers. It has deep red blooms maturing in pairs on each stem. Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) is yet another bee balm species that is great for flower arrangements. It has pretty pink or lavender blooms and stems long enough for arranging in a vase. This variety also has a minty or citrusy aroma. 

For something truly eye-catching, take a look at the Sugar Buzz cultivar series, such as 'Bubblegum Blast' with bright pink flowers, and 'Grape Gumball ' with iridescent purple blooms. This series was bred by Walters Gardens, Inc., and also includes varieties such as 'Blue Moon' and 'Rockin' Raspberry'.