Scarlet bee balm (Monarda didyma) is a clumping herbaceous perennial that grows to a height of 2 to 5 feet and will spread rapidly by underground stolons. The flowers bloom from June through September in beautiful clusters of scarlet red. Scarlet bee balm prefers moist but well drained soils and blooms best in full sunlight but will tolerate some shade. Clumps can be divided every 2 to 3 years in early spring while the plant is still dormant.

Scarlet bee balm attracts bumblebees, swallowtail butterflies, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. It is a larval host to several moth species.

The aromatic leaves and stems are unpalatable to deer and rabbits

An alternate common name for scarlet bee balm is Oswego tea, a reference to the use of the leaves for a tea by the Oswegos of New York.