February is often seen as a time for gardeners to plan and begin some planting. Cindy Watter, a UC Master Gardener of Napa County, shared her experience in developing a pollinator garden with both California native plants and some species from the eastern United States. She noted that lavender, although Mediterranean, thrives so well locally that she considers it nearly native.
Watter reflected on how her Monarda plants became crowded due to insufficient pruning. “My dilatory pruning is to blame, but this year will be different!” she wrote. Looking back at photos from 2020, she recalled having more space between plantings during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic when she spent more time at home tending her garden.
She described the ‘Jacob Kline’ Monarda as a striking plant that attracted bees and hummingbirds throughout the day before it was lost to mildew caused by overcrowding. “It was a striking four-foot-tall plant with blue-green leaves, adorned with an Art Nouveau-looking flower—actually, a cluster of tube-like flowers—that evolved into a festive, aster-like blossom. It was covered with bees all day long. In a word, stunning,” Watter said.
Watter first received Monarda as a gift and learned it is also known as bee balm or Oswego tea in other parts of North America. According to the University of Pennsylvania’s Morris Garden blog, “Monarda was named after a Spanish physician and botanist. Nicolas Monardes never traveled to the New World, but he did obtain stories and seeds from ships’ crews that had been there, and he wrote the first book about American flora. That was in the 16th century.” Linnaeus later named the plant after him.
Monarda belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae), features square stems and paired leaves and stamens, and comes in colors ranging from pale lavender to crimson. The plant prefers some sun but not extreme heat; Napa Valley’s climate is suitable for its growth if provided partial shade during hot days and well-drained soil.
The plant spreads by seeds and rhizomes; dividing clumps can help prevent mildew by reducing density. Deer typically avoid Monarda.
For those interested in creating pollinator gardens, Watter suggested visiting the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County website for resources on suitable plants such as bee balm ‘Coral Reef’ and ‘Marian Sampson,’ both California natives known for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. The Las Flores Learning Garden at 4300 Linda Vista Avenue in Napa offers further inspiration.
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) enhances lives across California by sharing science-based practices through research facilities like nine Research and Extension Centers located throughout diverse ecosystems (https://ucanr.edu/). The organization operates offices in all 58 counties along with these centers (https://ucanr.edu/), applying University of California expertise to support communities statewide (https://ucanr.edu/). Glenda Humiston serves as vice president (https://ucanr.edu/).
Upcoming events include a free Zoom talk titled “Healthy Soil = Healthy Plants” hosted by UC Master Gardeners of Napa County in partnership with Napa County Library on March 5 from 7 pm to 8 pm.
Gardeners seeking advice can contact the Master Gardener Help Desk online or visit in person at the University of California Cooperative Extension Office in Napa.