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Monarda punctata var. villicaulis

Monarda punctata L. var. villicaulis (Pennell) Palmer & Steyerm.

Spotted Beebalm

Lamiaceae (Mint Family)

Synonym(s): Monarda punctata ssp. villicaulis

USDA Symbol: MOPUV

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

An aromatic, erect perennial ranging from only 6 in. to almost 3 ft. tall. Rosettes of yellowish, purple-spotted, tubular flowers occur in whorls, forming a dense, elongated spike at the end of the stem or from leaf axils. Each whorl is subtended by large, conspicuous, whitish, purple-tinged, leaf-like bracts.

Spotted Beebalm is noticeably fragrant. Other varieties are also found in the East.

Linnaeus named the genus Monarda in honor of a 16th century Spanish physician and botanist, Nicolas Bautista Monardes (1493-1588). Monardes never went to the Americas but was able to study medicinal plants in Spain because Spain controlled navigation and commerce from the New World.

This taxon appears as Monarda punctata ssp. punctata var. villicaulis on the USDA PLANTS Database website.

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Subshrub
Size Notes: Up to about 30 inches tall.
Fruit: Nutlets.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow , Purple
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug

Distribution

USA: AR , CT , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MI , MN , MO , NC , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , TN , VT , WI
Native Distribution: Vermont to Minnesota, south to New Jersey, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.
Native Habitat: Open, sandy areas.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees
Special Value to Bumble Bees
Special Value to Honey Bees
Supports Conservation Biological Control

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Web Reference

Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Monarda punctata var. villicaulis in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Monarda punctata var. villicaulis in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Monarda punctata var. villicaulis

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-07-24
Research By: TWC Staff

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