“Welcome, Jacob Cline”, a copyrighted post, was written for my WordPress blog called Always Growing by Jan in Covington, Louisiana
Last summer I purchased some red-flowering bee balm called “Jacob Cline”. The flowers of this variety of monarda are showy, large and red with a longer bloom season than other monarda. One of the qualities that sold me on this plant is that the fragrant foliage is probably one of the best for mildew resistance. Another good point to this plant is that it is a butterfly nectar source and hummingbirds are supposed to love it.
When I bought this plant, it did have two flowers already blooming, but those were the last I saw. I guess it spent the rest of the summer getting settled into the garden. I was beginning to worry that it was not getting enough sun to bloom when I noticed flower buds just about four days ago. Yesterday evening, I took this photo of Jacob Cline’s first bloom in my garden.
Isn’t it a lovely red color? I have this in the entry garden where the color scheme is red and purple. The flowers of this monarda should complement the red pentas, salvias, and red ruella, as well as the purple salvias and ageratum.
I purchased this plant as part of my “add more perennials” plan for gardening, and it seems to fit right in with the plan as well as the area where it is planted. This is the first bee balm that I have grown, and from what I have read, I will need to cut it back in June to control its height and encourage more flowering. I’ll have to put that on my “to do” list because I definitely want more red flowers from this beauty.
Always Growing 
Heather said,
May 23, 2009 at 8:20 am
Hi Jan- I love it! That is a beautiful bloom and I can’t wait to have them in my garden too. Mine don’t even have flower buds yet but I am keeping my fingers crossed!
Jan said,
May 23, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Hey, Heather. I am very excited that this has started blooming. I’m sure it won’t be too long before yours is in flower, too.
Garden Mary said,
May 23, 2009 at 8:38 am
I have the pink in my garden, and I love it. This is a reliable bloomer every year for me.
Garden Mary said,
May 23, 2009 at 8:39 am
Sorry, I forgot to say that your red one is lovely, too.
Jan said,
May 23, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Garden Mary, I just planted the pink type this spring. It is growing, but no flowers. I do have it in a sunnier area than the red, so I am hoping for flowers soon. I am very pleased with the red colored ones and hope the other is as big.
Ana said,
May 11, 2011 at 11:13 am
Jan
THAT”S IT!!! Those Jacob Cline are all over the place in my garden.. I’ve been trying to figure it out what they were with NO luck. I google Glad info and landed on your AWESOME page. Anyway… We just bought our first home and I am JUST getting my feet wet in the garden. LOVE IT!! Not knowing that I had JC… My dad planted Gladiolus right behind them. 😦 I think they are going to grow to the same height… What do I do now?
ana
Ana said,
May 11, 2011 at 11:54 am
Jan
THAT”S IT!!! Those Jacob Cline are all over the place in my garden.. I’ve been trying to figure it out what they were with NO luck. I google Glad info and landed on your AWESOME page. Anyway… We just bought our first home and I am JUST getting my feet wet in the garden. LOVE IT!! Not knowing that I had JC… My dad planted Gladiolus right behind them. I think they are going to grow to the same height… What do I do now?
Jan said,
May 11, 2011 at 7:40 pm
I don’t think it will grow as tall as the gladiolus unless you have the miniature glads. My Jacob Cline doesn’t get too very tall. You can always trim it back if you don’t like the height. How exciting that you have a new house and are starting to garden. Good luck.