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Monarda punctata

spotted horsemint

Lamiaceae Eastern and central North America

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Attracts Hummingbirds Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Fragrant (strong)Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 3–8

Overview

Monarda punctata is an aromatic, short-lived perennial in the mint family, 1-3 feet (30-90 cm) tall and 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) wide, with square stems and a strong thyme-like scent when the foliage is crushed. The lance-shaped, toothed leaves are 1-3 inches (2.5-8 cm) long and grayish-green. Flowers form in several stacked whorls up the stem, each whorl with small two-lipped flowers that are pale yellow heavily spotted with purple-brown. Beneath each whorl sits a ring of showy bracts in white, pink, or lilac that are more conspicuous than the flowers themselves. Bloom runs through summer into early autumn and draws large numbers of bees, wasps, and other pollinators. It grows in dry, sandy soils, dunes, prairies, and open fields across eastern and central North America. The high thymol content makes it strongly aromatic and unappealing to deer. Plants are short-lived but self-sow where conditions suit them.

Native Range

Monarda punctata is native to eastern and central North America, from the Atlantic coast and Great Lakes south to Texas and Florida. It grows in dry, sandy soils, dunes, prairies, and open fields.

Suggested Uses

Used in pollinator gardens, sandy meadows, prairie plantings, and dry borders, spaced 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) apart. The aromatic foliage and long bract display suit naturalistic and herb plantings. It also grows in containers in free-draining mix.

How to Identify

Identify it by stacked whorls of pale yellow, purple-spotted two-lipped flowers, each whorl backed by a ring of showy white to pink or lilac bracts. The square stems and strong thyme-like scent confirm it as a mint relative. The spotted flowers and tiered bracts separate it from the solid-colored heads of Monarda fistulosa and Monarda didyma.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 3'

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~8 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowering runs from midsummer into early autumn, roughly July to September, with whorls opening from the lowest tier upward. The colored bracts hold their display longer than the small flowers. Bees, wasps, and other insects work the flowers steadily through the season.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

pale yellow spotted purple, with pink to lilac bracts

Foliage Description

grayish-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-9 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow in full sun in light, sandy, free-draining soil; lean, dry ground suits it better than rich beds. It tolerates drought and heat once established and needs little water. Hardy in USDA zones 3-8, it behaves as a short-lived perennial or biennial and often persists by self-sowing. Good airflow reduces the powdery mildew that can mark the foliage in humid sites. Wet, heavy soils shorten its life and encourage rot. No feeding is needed on poor soils.

Pruning

Spent flowering stems are cut back after bloom to tidy the plant and allow some self-seeding. Stems can be left standing over winter for seed and insect shelter. Plants are cut to the ground in late winter before new growth.