Beautiful Bee Balm
In our last post, we introduced you to some of our favorite medicinal plants. There are many medicinal plants out there, but only some that flower.
One of our favorites is bee balm.
Bee balm (monarda didyma) is a member of the mint family, but has a taste of a mix of mint, oregano, and Earl Gray tea. It's likely that you've probably used mint in some form of medicinal way before. Whether drinking a minty tea to soothe an upset stomach or using some type of minty salve, the mint family goes a long way in the medicinal realm.
This flowering beauty is not only great for its medicinal benefits, but also attracts hummingbirds and butterflies and naturally resists deer. You may be able to guess from its name that this plant is great for pollination. Bees love it!
In addition to medicinal uses, bee balm can be used in culinary dishes as well like other members of the mint family. Give its leaves a toss in your salad or to add flavor to that refreshing mojito for a drink with a little kick!
The two colors we've chosen for our medicinal garden are Gardenview Scarlet (red) and Blue Stocking (purple). Bee balm also comes in a variety of other colors and dwarf versions as well.
Basic Bee Balm Information:
- Sun or Part Sun
- Zones 4-9
- Bloom in late summer to early fall
- Requires well drained soil
- Grows up to 36" high
- Space 24" apart
So how can bee balm be used medicinally?
Medicinal Tea
Well, much like mint, the leaves of bee balm can be used for tea. The petals can also be used in tea as well.
Bee balm tea can be made from fresh or dry bee balm. If drying, bee balm can either have the leaves and petals plucked from the plant and dried on a drying screen or in a dehydrator, or can also be cut at the stalk and hung upside down in bunches to dry. This cute drying rack would work great if hanging. Once fully dry, pull off the petals and leaves and store in an air tight container. It's important to check the jar after a few days to make sure the lid does not show any signs of condensation. If any water is still in the leaves or petals, the jar contents may mold. If there are signs of condensation, remove from the jar and continue to dry out. Keep out of the sunlight as the colors of the petals will fade.
If you love loose leaf tea like me, try one of these loose leaf travel mugs. Great when you're on the go or if you want to drink tea while you're gardening!! Any loose leaf tea can be served hot or cold, but should be prepared hot and then cooled for any iced tea. The taste of bee balm tea is s little bit spicy from the oregano like taste, but also slightly sweet from the mint.
Healing Salves
There are several recipes out there for homemade bee balm healing salve. Bob and I are hoping to formulate our own variety after our bee balm plants bloom at the end of the summer. This recipe from Live In Art is on my must try list. It features several of the medicinal plants we are featuring in our garden.
Infused Oils
Much like other herbs, bee balm can be used to make infused oils. In a later post, we will provide some tutorials on how to make your own infused oils at home to use as massage oils and even cooking oils.
Infused Honey
We touched on infused honey in our last post. Bee balm can be used to add additional flavor to honey as well. Give it a try!
Stay tuned for more detailed information on our medicinal garden plants.
Be Natural. Be Honest. Be Healthy.
Bri
