What Is Bee Balm?

Known as Monarda fistulosa and Monarda didyma, the herb commonly called bee balm is known for its color, scent and edible/medicinal uses. Its flowers attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. They bloom in late summer herb and flower gardens. Other common names for bee balm are wild bergamot, Oswego tea and horsemint.

Characteristics

Bee balm flowers come in pink, purple, red, and white colors. They bloom in July and August. They multiply easily, are easy to care for and require low maintenance. They also tolerate wet soil. The bee balm plant grows 2 to 4 feet tall. Its hard, grooved stem grows about 3 feet tall and is covered in fine, dense hairs. The leaves also have hairs and are lance-shaped, while the roots are short and slender.

Habitat & Care

The bee balm plant is native to eastern North America. It grows in clearings, dry thickets and at the edges of woods. It grows in partly shady/partly sunny areas with good air circulation and fairly moist, well-drained and alkaline soil conditions. Bee balm must be planted in a non-crowded area; otherwise, it'll likely attract powdery mildew.

Historical Uses

Red bee balm is called Oswego Tea. American colonists used it instead of English Tea after the Boston Tea Party. Native Americans, recognizing four types of bee balm with different odors, also used the plant for medicinal purposes, hair fragrances and a sweat inducer for ceremonial sweat lodges.

Current Edible Uses

Today, people use the above ground portion of bee balm as a pot herb and as flavoring in food. The flowers make for a pretty garnish in salads and beverages, and the leaves are brewed into a tea. Some people use bee balm as a source of oil or substitute it for mint.

Current Medicinal Uses

Bee balm has antiseptic, diaphoretic, diuretic, carminative, and stimulative qualities in alternative medicine. The foliage is used to treat headaches, colds, low fevers, gastrointestinal disorders, sore throats, nausea, insomnia, gas, and menstrual cramps. Inhaling steam from brewed bee balm also treats mucus membrane inflammation. When placed on the skin as an application, it treats skin infections and rashes.