Sugar Buzz® Rockin' Raspberry sets deep raspberry-purple blooms against nearly black-green foliage for a rich, saturated look. In midsummer the strong, branching stems carry a full dome of 2 to 2.5-inch blooms.
At about 20 inches tall and wide, it fits the middle of the border and fills out a container without spreading aggressively. It resists powdery mildew better than average, and the aromatic foliage and nectar-rich flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
What it looks like
Rounded, shaggy flower heads 2 to 2.5 inches across are made of tubular florets in deep raspberry purple, radiating from a crown on dark purplish bracts. Leaves are opposite, oval to lance-shaped, very dark green and toothed on square stems. The plant forms an upright clump about 20 inches tall and 20 inches wide. At peak bloom the raspberry heads form a solid dome over the dark foliage.
Growing it with lavender
Bee balm prefers richer, more evenly moist soil than lavender, so set it in a neighboring bed with better soil and regular water, where its raspberry-purple heads carry on the summer color and bee traffic near your lavender.
Care
Grow in full sun to part shade in average to fertile soil with regular water, especially during summer dry spells. Hardy in zones 4-8. Give it room for air to move around the stems to help keep leaves clean, deadhead faded heads for a longer show, and divide the clump every few years in spring.
At a glance
-
Botanical name: Monarda
-
Flower color: Deep raspberry purple
-
Foliage: Very dark green
-
Growth habit: Upright clump
-
Mature size: 20 in tall × 20 in wide
-
USDA hardiness zones: 4–8
-
Light: full sun, part sun to part shade
-
Bloom start: Early-July
-
Peak bloom: Mid-July
-
Bloom pattern: Long Blooming
-
Deer resistance: Resistant
-
Pollinator value: Excellent
Sizes and shipping
One full 72-cell plug tray: 72 young starter plugs of this variety (cells about 1⅓ in. wide × 2½ in. deep), rooted and ready to pot up into quarts or gallons. Best for growers and nurseries. Potted plants and plug trays ship during our live-plant seasons, March 1–May 31 and October 1–November 30; June through September is local pickup only. Plugs, potted plants and trays do not ship to AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, UT or WA.