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by Lydia Holley March 15, 2021
Many perennials survived the freeze. Some had not yet emerged, some can withstand cold temperatures, and some are still growing despite a bit of damage to their leaves. Master Gardener Cherie Tanneberger found her ferns in good shape, along with her camas, daylilies, penstemons, and sages. Janelle Cole said her larkspurs and Gregg’s mistflower were coming back “like gangbusters,” and that her Jacob Cline bee balm was undamaged.
Jacob Cline is a mildew-resistant Monarda named for the son of the plantsman who found it growing in Virginia. It grows in zones four through nine. Zone four is equivalent to -30 degrees F. So, in addition to withstanding the cold that came our way, Jacob Cline bee balm can also take our summer heat.
A bee balm with striking red blooms, Jacob Cline grows taller than most other bee balms, and has larger flowers. It will grow up to four feet tall with four-inch blooms. It spreads, so give it a bit of room. Its bright red blooms, which look like feathered crowns, attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Mt. Cuba Center reports Jacob Cline bee balm to be “by far the most popular bee balm in our trial for attracting hummingbirds.” Bee balm will delight you with its minty fragrance, and it makes a good cut flower.
Jacob Cline bee balm has a native range from Georgia to New York and into Canada. It will grow in almost any type of soil, tolerates a wide range of soil pH, and is considered deer and rabbit resistant. It grows well in sun, but prefers some shade.
Monarda’s common names include bee balm, bergamot, and Oswego tea. Each common name has a meaning behind it. This plant was used to soothe bee stings, thus the name bee balm. Bergamot refers to the fragrance’s similarity to the bitter citrus. Native Americans near Oswego, New York, taught colonists to make tea from its leaves, giving it the name Oswego tea.
For more information, call 903-675-6130, email [email protected].
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