Spotted Bee Balm, also called Dotted Horsemint or Horsemint, is a late blooming perennial or biennial that grows relatively low to the ground and is characterized by vibrant pink aromatic bracts & creamy yellow flowers dotted like ripe bananas stacked upon each other resembling the shape of a Japanese pagoda. Scientific name – Monarda punctata Growing zone – USDA zones 3-9 Lighting – prefers full sun to partial shade. Care and Maintenance– prefers sandy or well-draining soils. This plant does quite well in poor soil as long as it drains well. Drought tolerant. Plant will drop seeds that require sunlight to germinate and a period of cold in order to break dormancy. Growing season/bloom-fruiting season – Flowers bloom in summer to fall (mid-August through October). Size/length of specimen – 2–3 feet tall Native range - wide range from most of eastern North America, from Michigan to Massachusetts down to New Mexico and Florida Unlike many of the other native plants in the Monarda genus, Monarda punctata develops a tap root and has shallow roots and does not move through rhizome runners, so the spread of this plant is limited usually to 3 feet. Spotted bee balm attracts butterflies and bees. It is the host plant of Pyralid Moths, Raspberry Pyrausta & Gray Marvel