Dried bee balm leaves are often used as a spice in many food dishes, tasting similar to oregano or thyme. Fresh leaves can be used to add spice to beverages and salads. Bee balm is part of the mint family. The citrus minty flavor in the flowers will enhance salads, desserts, and teas.
Can you use bee balm leaves?
Bee balm leaves can be used any way you’d use oregano and can be harvested any time during the growing season. The flavor of the leaves is slightly stronger than that of the flowers. Both foliage and flowers are delicious fresh or dried.
Can you make tea out of bee balm leaves?
Bee balm tea can be made from both fresh and dried leaves. I find the flavor of tea made from Monarda didyma to be rather strong. To make tea, start with about 1-teaspoon of crushed, dried bee balm leaves per 8-ounce cup of boiling water. Steep for at least 5 minutes and drink like regular tea.
What to do with bee balm after it blooms?
As your flowers start to fade, you should deadhead bee balm just above the next flower bud to encourage further flowering. Once a stem has finished flowering, trim it back down to the ground or pinch it off. This will encourage the plant to send up another blossoming stem.
Is bee balm poisonous?
It’s leaves are used to make tea. Bee balm is not poisonous for humans. In fact, eating the leaves will not harm a cat, dog or other animals in any way. Despite not being poisonous to animals, eating parts of any plant can cause digestive upset to an animal.
What are the benefits of bee balm tea?
Hot bee balm infused tea has been used to relieve upper respiratory ailments like colds and flu. It’s often used to sooth indigestion, nausea, and menstrual cramps. It has purported anti-septic and anti-microbial properties because it contains a high proportion of thymol, and is used to treat stings, bites, and wounds.
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How do you preserve bee balm?
Preserving and Storing Bee Balm
- Drying: Strip bee balm leaves from stems and dry them on screens or drying trays for two or three days in a warm, shady place or dry leaves in a dehydrator. …
- Dry leaves in the refrigerator by spreading the leaves evenly on a baking sheet covered with paper towels.
What does bee balm smell like?
Stems are square shaped like other mints, and the leaves are pointed lancets, which grow in opposite pairs. They grow to about 3 feet tall. When you rub the leaves or flowers, they smell like a cross between mint and oregano. Some varieties give off lemony scents.
How long does bee balm take to flower?
Quick Reference Growing Guide
| Plant Type: | Herbaceous perennial | Red, pink, light to dark purple |
|---|---|---|
| Bloom Time / Season: | Summer | Average |
| Exposure: | Full sun to partial shade | 6.0-7.0 |
| Time to Maturity: | 110-120 days | Well-draining |
| Spacing: | 18-24 inches | Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds |
How do you harvest bee balm flowers?
Once bee balm flowers begin to bloom, pick them often to encourage more growth. Harvest them by cutting 8 to 10 inches worth of stem. If using for teas, tie the stems together and hang upside down until the flowers dry and are brittle to touch. Then, crush the stems, leaves and flowers and store in a sealed container.
Do birds eat bee balm seeds?
But birds don’t only enjoy Bee Balm in summer.
The nutlet is a large, hard-shelled seed that forms when the flowers turn into seed. The nutlet attracts finches, sparrows, juncos, redpolls, among other species.
Do you Deadhead bee balm plants?
Bee balm (Monarda) begin to bloom in July and will continue to bloom throughout late summer. To encourage bountiful clusters of flowers, you will want to deadhead the plant throughout its entire bloom time. As the flowers begin to wilt and fade, cut just above the next flower bud.
Why does my bee balm fall over?
When the bee balm’s roots become saturated with standing water, they can become oxygen-starved and stop functioning properly. This causes the plant to lose its vigor and begin to droop. Too much water can eventually drown the plant, so make sure you plant bee balm in soil that can drain properly.
What can I plant next to bee balm?
Companion Planting and Design
Bee balm is a perfect cottage garden plant. I like to let it ramble though a perennial flower border next to tall garden phlox, rudbeckia, roses, and peonies.
What is bee balm tincture used for?
Prized for its antimicrobial properties, bee balm helps kill germs, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Generally, antimicrobials like bee balm are used for fighting infections of the respiratory and digestive tracts, skin, or other areas of the body.
Where should I plant my bee balm?
When &, Where to Plant Bee Balm
Light: Bee balm does best in full sun. Though it will grow in part shade, it tends to stretch and become leggy over time. Soil: Bee balm does best in evenly moist soil rich in organic matter. It can tolerate lighter soil, but richer soil will encourage taller, stronger specimens.
What can you do with lemon bee balm?
Lemon bee balm has been used medicinally to treat respiratory illnesses such as colds and coughs. It has a few culinary uses. Most people use it in teas or salads or to flavor desserts. It has also been used in wines and liqueurs.
Is bee balm the same as bergamot?
One of the loveliest of the flowering herbs, Bee Balm (also known as Bergamot), is a great attractor for hummingbirds and bees. Known also as beebread plant, Oswego tea, horsemint, and simply monarda, its leaves have a strong fragrance reminiscent of the bergamot orange.
Is bee balm the same as lemon balm?
BEE BALM and Lemon balm are two distinct herbs, alike in many ways. Both belong to Labiatae, the mint family. Both herbs are hardy perennials, easy to grow, attract bees, yet repel pests. … The pretty generic name, Melissa, meaning “bee” in Greek, belongs to lemon balm.
How do you make vinegar with bee balm?
Instructions
- Put the Monarda leaves and flowers in a wide mouth quart jar. Cover with cold white balsamic vinegar.
- Cap the jar. Set out of direct sunlight .
- Shake once a day for 3 weeks. The color of the vinegar will deepen.
- Pour into dark bottle to protect from light.
How does bee balm propagation?
If you ask me, the easiest way to propagate bee balm is through division. This involves digging up and transplanting the roots and rhizomes. You can also propagate Monarda from seeds, or start new plants from stem cuttings that you can root and then transplant.
Does bee balm like sun or shade?
Bee balm tolerates partial sun, but you’ll get fewer flowers. Space monarda plants 18 to 24 inches apart in organically rich soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.7 that drains easily. Bee balm needs good air circulation to help prevent powdery mildew, a common fungal disease.
How fast does bee balm spread?
Bee balms spread rapidly via underground stems or stolons. In addition, the centers of the clumps often die out within a few years. To control their spread and rejuvenate the plants, it’s usually necessary to dig and divide bee balms every 2 to 3 years. Early spring is the best time to dig and divide bee balms.
Is bee balm related to mint?
Scarlet beebalm is aromatic herb a member of the mint family. It is also known by the common names bergamot, Oswego tea, and crimson beebalm. The common name beebalm refers to the use of a resin derived from the plant that may be used for healing and soothing in particularly of bee stings.
Why is it called bee balm?
Native Americans infused the Monarda plant in tea to treat lung ailments like colds and flu and used it topically as an antiseptic for wounds and to reduce the swelling of bee stings — hence, its common name: bee balm.
Can bee balm grow indoors?
Bee balm can grow successfully indoors. Place the container in an area that gets full sun. Bee balm like moist well drained soil. … Outdoor containers can be brought indoors for the cold season, but will most likely not flower.
Is bee balm edible?
All above ground parts of the plant are edible. The leaves and flowers can be eaten raw or cooked. Bee balm has a minty taste and a flavor similar to oregano. It also has a citrusy aroma.
Can you pinch back bee balm?
Pinch It Back
Bee balm grows 2 to 4 feet tall and 1 1/2 to 3 feet wide. When young plants or new spring growth reaches 1 foot tall, cut the plant back to 6 inches tall. Alternately, pinch back regularly. This encourages side growth and helps keep the plant at a manageable size.
Can you collect seeds from bee balm?
If brown seeds fall into the bag, they are mature enough and ready for harvesting. … After collecting bee balm seeds, spread them on paper to dry for two to three days and store the dried seeds in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Where are the seeds in a bee balm?
How to Save Bee Balm Seeds (Monarda) – YouTube
How do you divide bee balm?
You can divide and transplant your bee balm either after it finishes flowering, or wait until next spring when the emerging shoots are 4 to 6 inches tall. In either case, dig up the entire clump and separate it into equal chunks.
Does bee balm attract hummingbirds?
Keep the soil surrounding bee balm moist but not soggy. This perennial plant produces vivid cardinal-colored flowers in the summer months. The bright red color of the flowers and the sweet nectar they contain attract hummingbirds in droves.
How does bee balm multiply?
Bee balm propagates by rhizomes, or runners, that spread under the ground to produce new shoots. As these shoots multiply, the mother plant in the center will eventually die off over the course of a couple years. This means your bee balm will eventually be far from where you planted it.
Does bee balm attract butterflies?
Bee Balm. Bee balm’s exotic, fragrant blooms beckon butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to your yard. These summer flowers bloom best in moist soil and full sun to part shade. … If deadheaded and regularly, bee balm rewards gardeners with weeks of flowers.
When can you cut down bee balm?
Cutting Back Bee Balm For Winter
As a general rule, cut the plant back after the first frost in the fall. Waiting until fall will allow the plant to drop it’s seeds for the next growing season. If you do not want the plant to spread as much, then cut some of the plant back prior to fall.
Why are my bee balm leaves turning yellow?
Wet soils, heavy rains and powdery mildew can result in yellowing foliage. Cool wet soils can limit a plants ability to take up needed nutrients. In addition, heavy rains can leach (wash) the nitrogen through the soil. You should see some improvement as the weather warms and dries.
Is bee balm perennial?
A perennial favorite native to North America, bee balm (also called wild bergamot) is beloved in flower beds for its beautiful blooms of red, pink, purple or white—not to mention the fragrant foliage. Here’s how to plant and grow bee balm in your garden!
Can you over water bee balm?
Bee balm is drought tolerant, but needs a regular watering schedule. It is best to keep the soil evenly moist, yet not too wet. Avoid overwatering as it could result in root rot. Allow the soil to dry out a bit between waterings and not get soggy.
Why is my bee balm turning black?
The most common problem with bee balm is a foliage disease called powdery mildew. That is a good name for it, because the leaves look like they have been dusted with powder. Unfortunately, leaves will turn brown and drop or be deformed.
Do you cut bee balm back?
Cut Back: Bee Balm
Cutting back this plant that sports red, pink or deep purple flowers keeps it healthy for hummingbirds and butterflies that flock to it in mid-summer. Trim bee balm (monarda) down to the soil to discourage problems such as mildew.