Description:

This mounding variety features small, fragrant, orchid like white flowers with wine red lips that mature to plum; dark green, velvety foliage has an aromatic, honey scent; adaptable, and great for border fronts or containers

Ornamental Features

Royal Velvet Distinction Bastard Balm features dainty clusters of fragrant white orchid-like flowers with burgundy falls at the ends of the stems from late spring to mid summer. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its fragrant oval leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Royal Velvet Distinction Bastard Balm is an herbaceous perennial with a more or less rounded form. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and may require the occasional pruning to look its best. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Royal Velvet Distinction Bastard Balm is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Royal Velvet Distinction Bastard Balm will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 15 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Royal Velvet Distinction Bastard Balm is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.