Double Decker Bee Balm
It’s not unusual to see an established bed of red Bee Balm sport a few double decker blooms.
Monarda didyma
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Back at our old home site some red bee balm still persists in the abandoned garden and seems to have far more than the usual odd sport. In fact the single simple blooms are now out numbered by the double deckers.
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I love the odd blooms when they are a freak of nature. Not so much when plant breeders take and develop new varieties from them just to have ‘New and Improved on the plant tag or catalog.
I’m sure you would feel the same way if I was cloned. I might be a pleasant distraction but more than one of me definitely would not be ‘New and Improved’.
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July 11th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I totally agree. Stop fiddling with the plants, already ! Another double decker that freaks me out is echinacea. Those top petals are like whiskers coming out of a wart … I just want to pluck them out !
ps. I simply adore bee balm. I could sniff it all day.
July 12th, 2009 at 1:02 am
Now a clone would be handy. While one of you is out hunting for rocks the other one could be blogging(-: LOL
The flower is really interesting(-:
I don’t really like the double decker echinacea either!
July 12th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
I agree – I don’t like engineered double decker Monarda, and that’s why I haven’t bought any. The double decker Echinacea creeps me out.
July 12th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I think nature is the best plant breeder. It comes up with so many different wonderful varieties. No human can match that.
July 12th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
I am growing bee balm for the first time this year and I can’t believe I waited so long to add it to my garden. I love it. I just made your desktop photo into my desktop photo. I have one so far that is double and I think it is so pretty. Can’t wait to divide this for next year.
July 12th, 2009 at 11:21 pm
I don’t know what is more terrifying, those freak monarda or two of you. SERIOUSY.
July 13th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
I know I’ve said this before, but…gee, you take beautiful pictures. They always have such good color and are so sharp.
Bee balm is a fun plant, and yours is even more fun that usual.
July 24th, 2009 at 8:46 am
You’re so generous to give your beautiful photo as desktop! I ‘m going to grow this flower next year!
You have so many gorgeous photos!
August 6th, 2010 at 12:17 pm
So nice to see your pics of the doubles. I have three so far this year, never saw it before and was wondering if I lived too close to the nuke plant. Last year I had a triple stem basil plant, a rarity indeed. Thanks.