Have You Ever failed With a Indestructible Perennial ?

Where mine have done best is in the bed that I built lasagne style over the lawn. It had llama and horse manure and peat and compost and was very rich. It's been about 10 years, but they are still there and apparently liking it. My Jacob Cline was planted in the picket garden area where the soil was not nearly so well amended and they just peter out. I figured it was the variety, but now I wonder if it's actually the soil they don't like.
 
A friend gave me a small pot of her bee balm 20+ years ago. I'm not sure what type it is or if it's the spot, but look out! This hedge is about 30 feet.

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It gets dappled sun through the trees and stays moist most of the time, good rich soil. I have some 'Raspberry' bee balm in another bed that drains fast, poorer soil. It does well but not as aggressive spreading, also mostly shady. I had some purple in full sun, the color was muddy and I didn't like it, it always got mildew so it got yanked.

One thing I noticed, being in the mint family, it does not seem to appreciate being contained. It chokes itself out if I don't thin it and chop out areas of spent tangled roots. The roots are very shallow though and I don't see bee balm as an invasive problem, just happy, and I love it!
 
Nyboy said:
@Lavender2 wow thats how I was lead to believe Bee balm behaved. Besides tea Bee Balm has a lot of uses. I believe native Americans used it in healing.
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I wish I could like tea. I grow it mostly for the bees and hummers, and another plus, it's quite a long bloomer.

Now if I could only grow helleborus! :\ That's one of my 3 strikes, I give up plants.
 
Lavender2 said:
A friend gave me a small pot of her bee balm 20+ years ago. I'm not sure what type it is or if it's the spot, but look out! This hedge is about 30 feet.

View attachment 8252

It gets dappled sun through the trees and stays moist most of the time, good rich soil. I have some 'Raspberry' bee balm in another bed that drains fast, poorer soil. It does well but not as aggressive spreading, also mostly shady. I had some purple in full sun, the color was muddy and I didn't like it, it always got mildew so it got yanked.

One thing I noticed, being in the mint family, it does not seem to appreciate being contained. It chokes itself out if I don't thin it and chop out areas of spent tangled roots. The roots are very shallow though and I don't see bee balm as an invasive problem, just happy, and I love it!
Click to expand...

That's beautiful @Lavender2 ! I had the same experience with the purple, it got too much mildew to mess with and I wasn't crazy about the color. My raspberry colored one is my favorite behind the red jacob Cline. The JC seem to have the longest bloom and no mildew ever. I'll remember that about dividing more often, and I think I'll lift them and amend their patch when they're done blooming. I wouldn't mind at all if they spread. They're my favorites, just love their fragrance.
 
Are there other Red bee balms? I have a red one. It has grown VERY tall under the grape arbor. This year has been very wet.(Raining as I type.) It is entirely mildewed. :( Should I let it bloom and the cut off at ground level or cut it off now?
 
If you like the hummers to enjoy it, keep it till bloom.
If it's too ugly and bugs you, cut it down.
I would probably do #2, and just give the hummers an extra feeder.

There are a lot of other red beebalms Carol Dee. JC isn't always available and I planted something called Fire Marshall (?) last year which is a little more orangey red. Not planted at my house though.
 
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