SCARLET BEEBALM, SCARLET MONARDA

Latvian: monarda dvīņziedu

An aromatic herb, a long-blooming flower, a nectar plant that is visited by butterflies

and bees during flowering. The magnificence and variety of monards is wide - in any

garden, monards can find their unique place. Monardas, also called Indian nettles

and Indian heads, grow wild in North America, and it is not for nothing that this easy-

to-grow perennial reminds the Germans of the feathers of Native American

headdresses.

Monardas are patient and undemanding plants, depending on the growing

conditions, monardas can grow 60-120m high. Monardas will grow less well in sandy

soils or dense, heavy clay soils. Monards are often too dry in sandy soils, so they get

sick. On the other hand, in clayey soils, it is often too wet for monards.

Monardas can be matched to any bed - the variety of colors and shades is so rich -

flower colors can be from very bright purple, red and blue to soft pale tones.

Monards bloom for a long time - monard flowers bloom slowly. If the bloomed

monard flowers are cut off, the monard bloom is repeated.

Monards reproduce quite well, they are fertile. Every year the old shoot of monards

dies, but since monards have fast-growing root shoots, they, just like an anthill, "go

forward" quickly. When encountering other plants, monards respect `the neighbors`

interests and do not suppress the neighboring flowers. Monard seeds are sown 

in March, April in a planting box or directly in the bed in May. Seedlings are exhibited in

the field in May. Monardas look beautiful in flower beds with other flowers.

Cultivation of monards is quite simple - it is only necessary to ensure that monards

are watered in dry weather, because in prolonged drought monards lose their ability

to resist diseases. In early spring, monards are provided with basic fertilizer - for

example, granulated complex universal or flower fertilizer.

Monardas are not only herbs, but also medicinal plants. Monard flowers, leaves and

monard stems are used in phytotherapy. Salads and sweet dishes are made from

monards. Monarda tea – an aromatic and delicious tea can be made from the mint-

like plant, depending on the variety, with the scent of roses, citrus notes or the scent

of bergamot.

(Used material from darzaabc.lv)

Augu katalogs ir tapis ar Eiropas Savienības finansiālu atbalstu Pārrobežu sadarbības programmas 2014.–2020. gadam projekta LVIII-062 “Versts of Feelings 2” ietvaros