Monarda didyma 'Red Shade'
Trial: Annual
Years Trialed: 1998
Good Qualities:
Bright color (2); Germination easy & quick; Appears mildew resistant; Good stem; Plants have grown well in spite of record drought; Good seed viability & seedling vigor; Good fragrance; Unique shape of blossoms; Good line flower for florists; Fairly good vaselife; Leaves very aromatic B Lemon; Hardy, vigorous plant; Shows promise if we can control powdery mildew.
Problems:
Many did not bloom or limited quantity of bloom (2); Needs support; Many plants grew to only 12-14; tall; Late to flower; Too small to transplant this year - will next year; Some damping off in greenhouse - needed higher germination temps; A little slow on the start, but caught up fairly quick in the field. Could probably benefit from cooler temps for growing season; Tended to drop blossoms after harvest; Poor germination; Powdery mildew; Our heat & alkaline soil conspired against this plant. It eventually dried up and blew away.
Trial Data
| Yield (stems/plant) | Stem Length (inches) | Market Appreciation Rating (1) | Repeat Again Rating (1) | Ease of Cultivation Rating (1) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average | 1.8 | 14.7 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
(1) 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the best. Market ratings are based on sales to wholesalers, retailers, or final consumers direct.
Supplier
Benary Seed
1444 Larson St.
Sycamore, IL 60178
Comments:
Couldn't figure out when to cut, never seemed to look good enough to cut. Don't think the fertility was what it needed to be where it was planted; Being a hardy perennial, I'm hoping next year will be more promising for this plant. I've grown 'Bee Balm' in the past & hope this perennial will produce many useable stems for mixed bouquets next year; Will leave in ground for next year's flower; I will definitely attempt to buy seed for this to see if it measured up to the Monarda 'Lambada' that has many cuts, is scented, & holds up very well in bouquets.; Hope this will winter; Was just starting to flower in mid-October; Similar to Monarda 'Jacob Cline' B an excellent red from cuttings.