Upscale™ Red Velvet Bee Balm

Upscale™ Red Velvet Bee Balm has giant, deep cherry red blooms that attract any pollinator  in the area. The long-lasting flowers produce loads of nectar that hummingbirds and butterflies cannot resist. The fragrant foliage gives a minty note to herbal tea and potpourri blends. While Monarda hybrids are in the mint family, it is a more well-behaved relative that can be easily contained by regular dividing and replanting. Red Velvet is the tallest Monarda in the Upscale™ series and makes a dramatic statement either in the garden or cut fresh for arranging.

The height of Upscale™ Bee Balm makes it a natural addition to the back of a perennial border or pollinator garden. It also works well in a naturalized part of the garden where it can spread freely. As with most plants in the mint family, Upscale™ Red Velvet Bee Balm is rarely bothered by browsing deer or nibbling rabbits. Slugs and snails may be attracted to the tender shoots of this herbaceous perennial early in the spring but are not a problem as the plants grow larger. Low maintenance and drought tolerance is built into Monarda of all varieties. The Upscale™ series is no different.

Upscale™ Red Velvet Bee Balm Care

Bee Balm grows best in a full-sun location with well-drained soil. Soil pH is not important as Bee Balm tolerates slightly acid or slightly alkaline soil equally well. Regular watering to maintain consistently damp soil is essential for the first year after planting. This helps the plant produce a robust root system that will be drought tolerant in following years. Mulching yearly with finely shredded arborist chips or organic compost will help the soil retain moisture and will add nutrients as the mulch decomposes. 

Deadheading throughout the growing season helps Monarda to produce more blooms. However, a rejuvenating cutback at mid-summer is the low-maintenance way to encourage a second flush of flowers late in the summer. Cutting the plants back by half will encourage a dense branching structure and many more flowers for a late-summer garden display. Bee Balm should be divided in the early spring as new growth emerges. This gives the newly replanted starts enough time to fully establish before the dormant winter period. 

Upscale™ Red Velvet Bee Balm Spacing

Bee Balm is notorious for contracting powdery mildew and fungal rust, which usually don’t kill the plant but make for unsightly foliage and a shortened flowering season. Proper spacing when planting allows for good air circulation around the plants and helps prevent pests and diseases from attacking. The mature height of Red Velvet is 32 inches with a spread of 36 inches. Space plants 3 feet apart on the center when planting in a large grouping. 

Upscale™ Red Velvet Bee Balm Information