Although it was discovered by U.T. Waterfall (not making this up), in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, in 1966, and subsequently named in 1970, the Glade Bee Balm, Monarda stipitaglandulosa is still little-known in gardens. This is only found in Arkansas and adjacent Oklahoma, where is grows in glades and open woodlands, over alkaline rock. These odd futuristic-looking flowers, are just opening here in late May. We have had this in the ground for almost a year now, so it is still in its trial phase. It remains to be seen if this will stay a clump with good cultivation, but we love the crazy flowers.
This is fascinating! Can’t wait to see if for sale
The wonders of Monarda never cease. M. fruticulosa is our current fascination…
I agree, Monarda is one of my “pet genera” fascinations as well, fruticulosa looks very interesting. See my comments here about my favorite perennial plant in 2025, M. bradburiana, it’s wonderful for many reasons.
Very unique and fascinating look to that Monarda, will have to keep an eye out for it. Voted my best new plant in 2015, was Monarda bradburiana, one of those surprising “multi-attribute” plants, great flowers, beautiful foliage, and a mid-late summer transition to stems becoming decumbent, and as the stems splay out sideways in a circle, the horizontal stems sprout with lots of new short vertical growths, to appear as if a 3′ around groundcover. Foliage turns red-purple in fall/winter,