1/2-pint plug
Light: Full sun – partial shade
Soil: Medium wet - Dry
Height: 5 feet
Bloom: August
Description: Favorite of butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. Its species name, fistulosa, refers to the tube-like structure of its blossoms, which appear from July through September. Can be aggressive in spaces with lots of bare soil, not recommended for very small spaces. Seedheads add nice winter interest and have a wonderful smell. If you put this plant in, you're required to go outside over the winter, squeeze a seedhead, and smell it. It's that wonderful.
Attracts: The nectar of the flowers attracts long-tongued bees, bee flies, butterflies, skippers, and hummingbird moths. Among the long-tongued bees, are such visitors as bumblebees, Miner bees, Epeoline Cuckoo bees, and large Leaf-Cutting bees. A small black bee (Dufourea monardae) specializes in the pollination of Monarda flowers. Sometimes Halictid bees collect pollen, while some wasps steal nectar by perforating the nectar tube. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird also visits the flowers. The caterpillars of the moths Sphinx eremitus (Hermit Sphinx) and Agriopodes teratophora (Gray Marvel) feed on the foliage. A seed bug (Ortholomus scolopax) is sometimes found in the flowerheads.
