Basil beebalm resembles other beebalms in form, except for its white or cream-colored flowers and green bracts tinged with white or pink. Small purple spots may appear on the lower lip of the flower. Like the others, it prefers full sun or partial shade and is often found in thickets or along woodland edges. The individual flowers are tubular and pollinated by long-tongued bees, butterflies, or hummingbirds. It blooms in midsummer, typically from June to July.

Basil beebalm is a clumping, fast-growing plant reaching 2-4 feet in height, often forming asexual colonies through spreading root systems. It is most visually striking when grown into large colonies with many stalks blooming simultaneously.

The leaves are simple, opposite, two leaves per node along the stem, with an aromatic smell that repels deer, typically measuring 2½ to 4¾ inches long. Leaves are widely used for tea and cooking; Native Americans also used the leaves medicinally. Like other members of its genus, the leaves can be steeped alone or blended into herbal teas.

The stems and petioles may be tinged red, with the coloration sometimes extending along the midrib. This species is less common than other Monarda species, but shares many of their ecological and cultural qualities.