Monarda fistulosa 'Tetraploid'
Common name(s): rose bee balm, rose-scented bee balm, Manitoba monarda
Description: perennial; a rare, tetraploid form of M. fistulosa indetified in the forests of Manitoba sometime around the early 1990s. More vigorous than the species with larger leaves and larger, longer-lasting flowers. Even more excitingly, it has a very high geraniol content and has been suggested as a substitute for rose geranium. Pleasant, rose-scented foliage and lavender pink flowers in summer. Performs best with morning sun, afternoon shade, and with sufficient air circulation not too close to other plantings.
Height: to 3 ft. Spread: to 3 ft.
Position: partial shade and well-draining soil
Uses: medicine, culinary- herbal tea, to attract pollinators
Winter Hardiness: to 0 F and below
Notes: we've sold this previously as Monarda fistulosa × tetraploid, which is an invalid epithet, so we've designated it as the cultivar 'Tetraploid' to stay consistent with both its origins and nomenclature code.