Monarda didyma Sugar Buzz™ ’Cherry Pops’ after I brought it home on 6-7-18, #455-17.
Beebalm, Bergamot, Oswego Tea, Horsemint
Monarda Sugar Buzz™ ’Cherry Pops’
Monarda didyma
mo-NAR-da DID-ee-muh
Monarda didyma L. is the accepted scientific name for this species of Monarda. Both the genus and species were named and described by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.
As of 1-2-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 22 species in the Monarda genus. It is a member of the plant family Lamiaceae with 233 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.
The Monarda didyma Sugar Buzz™ series was patented by Walters Gardens.
THERE ARE A FEW LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING.
Monarda didyma Sugar Buzz™ ’Cherry Pops’ flower on 6-7-18, #455-18.
I bought two pots of Monarda didyma Sugar Buzz™ ’Cherry Pops’ from Wildwood Greenhouse on June 7 in 2018 while I was plant shopping with my sister and brother-in-law.
USEFUL INFORMATION:
Family: Lamiaceae.
Origin: Cultivar from Walters Gardens. The species is native to eastern North America.
Zones: USDA Zones 4-8.
Size: 20-22” tall x 18-24” wide.
Light: Full sun to part shade, depending on location.
Soil: Average to fertile well-drained soil.
Water: Average. Prefers moist soil.
Flowers: Cherry red flowers in mid through late summer.
Attracts: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Monarda doesn’t seem really that picky about their soil as long as it is well-drained (not a clay type). They do well in regular or fertile soil. As far as the species Monarda didyma is concerned, The Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder says: “Best grown in medium to wet, moisture-retentive soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers rich, humusy soils in full sun, although some afternoon shade is appreciated in hot summer climates. Soil should NOT be allowed to dry out.” (see link below).
<<<<2019>>>>
Monarda ‘Cherry Pops’ on 3-17-19, #553-6.
Monarda ‘Cherry Pops’ was sprouting and getting ready for spring when the above photo was taken on 3-17-19. So many cultivars don’t return in the spring so I was very surprised to see it come up.
Monarda ‘Cherry Pops’ on 6-9-19, #585-15.
The Monarda ‘Cherry Pops’ was looking great by June 9 when the above photo was taken.
Monarda ‘Cherry Pops’ on 7-4-19, #598-12.
I was glad when it started flowering…
Monarda ‘Cherry Pops’ on 12-7-19, #658-5.
The above photo was taken on December 7 in 2019. It survived several ZAPS but it was still alive… I was fairly busy in 2019 so I didn’t take many photos…
<<<<2020>>>>
Monarda didyma ‘Cherry Pops’ on 6-20-20, #711-11.
I am always surprised when this plant comes up in the spring. Unfortunately, we had a very cold February in 2021 and it didn’t return…
Monarda species prefer the sun but are also tolerant of part shade. Information online says they seem to spread more quickly in a shadier spot.
Powdery mildew can be an issue with some Monarda. To help prevent this problem, they must have adequate air circulation, thin overgrown clumps, and keep the soil consistently moist. Dry soil promotes powdery mildew. There are mildew-resistant cultivars and this one wasn’t bothered by it.
I have a lot of Monarda fistulosa on the farm and my brother had a nice patch of some cultivar when I lived in Minnesota. I bought a Monarda didyma plant from a local garden club plant sale in the spring of 2017, but it did not return this spring of 2018.
There isn’t a whole lot about growing this cultivar online yet, but I will continue adding more photos and information as time goes by. There are several sources of this cultivar available online.
I hope you enjoyed this page and maybe found it useful. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, I would like to hear from you. Please click on “like” if you visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 You can check out the links below for further reading. The links take you directly to information for the genus, species, or cultivar of this plant.
The Belmont Rooster 