Bee Balm

Bee Balm
(Monarda didyma)

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma ) is a hardy perennial herb that is unsurpassed for attracting hummingbirds, butterflies and bees to the garden. It is a member of the mint family. I will be taking a portion of the clump to the new house. M. didyma is a hybrid so is best grown from clump division rather than seeds collected from the plant as plants grown from the seeds will not breed true. I collected seeds anyway just to see what comes up.

Bee Balm grows as tall as four feet high in most soil types including heavy clay. Like most herbs, bee balm prefers a drier soil. It requires part shade to a sunny location. The plant blooms in July and August with flowers that are bright red (M. didyma), white (Wild Bergamot aka Oswego Tea ), purple (M. media, M. citiodora, M. pectinata) or pink colours (M. fistulosa aka Wild Bergamot). It transplants well and the clump should be divided every other year to keep the plant healthy. Bee Balm is an aggressive spreader that is mainly problem free other than powdery mildew and rust. These problems can be controlled using a natural fungicide like chamomile tea sprayed on the leaves and water at the soil level to keep the leaves dry.

Bee Balm is a great herb for the garden as well. It attracts beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies. It is a good companion plant to prevent attack of subterranian pests for vegetables The oil in the roots of Bee Balm act as a deterrent. The bright red flowers are sure to bring a smile while providing a nice backdrop for other plants.

Bee Balm can be dried then used as a tea, as an aromatic herb for sachets and potpourri or as cut flowers. It is well suited for use in wildflower gardens as well. The original American colonists drank Bee Balm tea to protest the tea taxes. The tea has a strongly minted flavour. To use bee balm as a medicinal tea for headaches and fever as it contains an active diaphoretic (sweat inducer), pour one cup of boiling water over 1 tsp of dried bee balm and allow to steep 10 minutes. Drink at bedtime for insomnia. Bee balm can also be used as a pleasant, minty iced tea in the summer.

Happy Gardening!

Garden Gnome
©2007