punctata****

Monarda punctata, leafy bracts of pinky-lavender beneath each flower cluster, 20-30", June-August. Narrow leaves on purplish stems. Multi-stemmed, unbranched clumps. Purple-spotted tubuler flower clusters with leaf-like bracts vividly showing from beneath the flower cluster. Actually may appear flower-less but the color of the bracts make it very attractive. NATIVE from Quebec to Vermont and west to Ontario, Minnesota, Kansas, and New Mexico. Sandy prairies and savannas, sand dunes around the Great Lakes and sandy fields. All this sand but thrives as well in your garden border. A great shore plant/monarda, though. A fantastic 4 star(****) rating at Mt.Cuba Center, DE trial 2016. 100%flower cover! AND 99.9%mildew RESISTANT! Ooo-ee! Along with an exotic/orchid-like flower! NATIVE! zone4 "Spotted Beebalm"