Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Pardon My Rose Bee Balm: Rose-Pink Hummingbird Fuel Up Front
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Pardon My Rose bee balm carries intense rose-pink flower heads, 2.5 to 3 inches across, on a bushy plant only a little over a foot tall. The heads sit on pink-tinged bracts just above medium green, semi-glossy leaves, and from midsummer they draw a steady stream of hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
It spreads slowly into a clump 22 to 28 inches wide but stays manageable, so it is easy to place at the front of a border.
Pardon My Rose at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Monarda didyma 'Pardon My Rose' |
| Flowers | 2.5 to 3 inch heads, intense rose pink |
| Foliage | Medium green, semi-glossy, minty when brushed |
| Size | 14 to 18 inches tall, 22 to 28 inches wide |
| Bloom | Early July into August, about 6 to 7 weeks |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 8 |
| Wildlife | Excellent pollinator plant; deer resistant |
| Disease | Good powdery mildew resistance |
Building a pollinator corner with lavender
If you want the garden humming from June to August, lavender and bee balm are a strong one-two. Lavender carries the early summer; Pardon My Rose picks up in July and runs into August. The catch is soil. Bee balm wants richer ground and more regular water than lavender, so set it in a neighboring bed or along the moister side of a path, close enough that pollinators move easily between the two.
Rose pink against purple is a soft, cottage-garden pairing, and the short height means it will not block a view of the lavender behind it. Sketch the corner in the Companion Plant Planner.
Care notes
- Site: full sun to part shade, with space for air to move.
- Water: keep the soil from drying out. Dry, stressed plants are more likely to get mildew.
- Spread: shallow rhizomes widen the clump slowly; lift and divide every 2 to 3 years to keep the center vigorous.
- Deadheading: snip faded heads to keep it neat.
- Winter: very hardy in Michigan. Cut stems back in fall or leave them standing until spring.
For beekeepers and tea drinkers
With an excellent pollinator rating, Pardon My Rose is a good addition near hives alongside lavender; see our Beekeeper Tools for planning. The leaves and flowers are edible and are used for herbal tea or as a garnish, like other bee balms.
Tray options
It is offered as a 72-cell plug tray and a 20-cell plug tray. See the product pages for current availability.
Frequently asked questions
Is it less prone to mildew than older bee balms?
Yes. In side-by-side trials it showed stronger powdery mildew resistance than an older dwarf bee balm, though good airflow and steady moisture still help.
Will it take over the bed?
It spreads slowly and stays manageable. Dividing every few years keeps it in bounds.
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