Bee balm a perennial plant that can grow up to five feet tall and has purple or pink blooms that attract bees and butterflies. It may not be as popular as other flowers but bee balm blossoms for months at a time so it will definitely catch your eye no matter where you plant it!
In this post, we’ll look at when bee balm blooms. How long does it last? And what other benefits does this flower have? We’ll also cover some tips on how to grow bee balms yourself so they can add beauty to your garden throughout the entire year (and not just when they’re blooming).
When Does Bee Balm Bloom?
Bee balm is a perennial herb that blooms from June to September. Though it grows to about 2 feet tall, bee balm has a reputation for being one of the best plants for attracting bees and butterflies in your garden.
The plant has purple leaves but produces pink flowers that are fragrant and attract pollinating insects to its nectar. The flowers grow in clusters on long stems at the top of the plant and can be up to 2 inches across with five petals each.
How Long Does Bee Balm Bloom For?
Bee balm blooms from May through August, depending on the region you’re in. In North Carolina, for example, bee balm usually blooms from late May to mid-July.
If you live in Ohio or Michigan, it could start as early as April and last into September.
After it has bloomed, bee balm will bloom for approximately 2 months in the summer and fall, but it can last even longer if the weather is cool and doesn’t get too hot.
How Long Does It Take For Bee Balm To Bloom?
Bee balm is an herbaceous perennial that grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 9, and it blooms from spring until frost. It’s a member of the mint family, so it grows low to the ground and has square stems with opposite leaves that grow to be about 3 inches long. Its flowers are variable and usually red or purple, but they can also be white, pink, or yellow.
If you want your bee balm to bloom earlier than normal or grow larger than usual, you can prune back its flower buds when they start forming on top of the main stem by pinching them off with your fingers or scissors before they open up into flowers themselves (their blossoms look like tiny bells). This will prevent them from flowering.
When Should I Plant Bee Balm?
You can plant bee balm in the spring or autumn, but it does best when planted in the early spring. The main reason for this is that bees are still dormant in late winter and won’t make it out of their hives until April or May. Planting bee balm after the first frost has passed isn’t recommended because its roots are too cold to grow properly.
The plant grows best in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil that’s low in nutrients. It can tolerate poor soil conditions as long as it gets enough sunlight, but it prefers rich soil with plenty of organic matter for nutrients. Bee balm is a prolific self-seeder, so you can expect new plants to spring up around the parent plant each year if you don’t remove them from the area where they’ve been growing before winter sets in.
Does Bee Balm Bloom More Than Once?
Yes, bee balm will bloom again the following year. This means you can plant the same plant each year and get many years of blooms. The only thing to remember is to not cut back your bee balm until it’s done flowering in late summer or early fall.
When cutting back bee balm, make sure you don’t cut off any branches with flowers on them because they’ll produce seedpods that can be used for sowing more bee balm next spring. If you want repeat blooms, simply deadhead (remove spent flowers) as needed throughout the growing season so new ones form behind it.
When removing spent flowers, use sharp pruning shears or scissors instead of pulling at them since tugging may damage the leaves near where they’re attached to branches causing them to yellow prematurely and eventually die off completely if left alone too long without enough sun exposure when winter rolls around again next year!
Will Bee Balm Bloom Again After Being Cut?
Yes, you can be sure that cutting a bee balm will cause it to bloom again. In fact, if you cut the plant regularly, it will bloom more often.
The stem of your plant will grow back from where you made your cut and then begin to flower again after about a week or two.
You can repeat this process as many times as you want to ensure a continuous supply of blooms throughout the summer months.
Why Is My Bee Balm Not Blooming?
If your expecting your bee balm to start blooming already, but you still haven’t seen any yet, there could be some possible reason. Below are some of the reasons why your bee balms are not blooming:
- You may not be receiving enough sunlight. If you’ve planted bee balm in a shady area, it won’t bloom as much. Consider moving the plant to a sunny location or pruning away some of its shade-casting branches and stems.
- Your bee balm might be planted too deep. When planting bee balm, make sure that the crown is no more than 2 inches below ground level; otherwise, it will struggle to grow well and produce flowers.
- You may have too many other plants nearby that are competing for water and nutrients from your bee balm’s roots (especially if those plants are larger than yours). As with any plant, space out your bee balms so they have ample room to thrive!
Conclusion
Often, bee balm will bloom in spring or early summer. This can vary depending on the weather conditions, however. If you want to know when your bee balm will be blooming, pay close attention to how long it’s been since you planted or transplanted them into their new home. If there haven’t been any flowers yet and it has been more than a few weeks since then, then it might mean that something went wrong with their growth process!
