Bee Balm
Monarda didyma
Family: Lamiaceae · Also called Oswego Tea, Wild Bergamot, Monarda, Monarda oswegoensis, Monarda didynama, Monarda didyma var. angustifolia
Earthy & Warm · Summer bloomer
Bee balm is a firework of a flower, shaggy, tubular blooms arranged in whorled clusters atop square stems, in screaming scarlet, hot pink, purple, or white. Everything about it is aromatic: flowers, leaves, stems. It's equally at home in a wildflower meadow or a herb garden, attracting hummingbirds like nothing else in the summer border.
compassion, prosperity, protection
In the Victorian language of flowers, bee balm means “Your whims are unbearable (Victorian), compassion (modern)”. Bee balm's other name is 'Oswego tea', after the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to this native plant as a caffeine-free alternative to English tea. The Oswego Nation taught settlers to brew it. Its bergamot-like scent earned it the name 'wild bergamot,' though it's unrelated to the citrus fruit used in Earl Grey.
Did You Know?
Bee balm contains thymol, the same antiseptic compound found in thyme and used in Listerine mouthwash. Native Americans used it to treat mouth and throat infections centuries before modern dentistry. Despite the name 'bee balm,' it's actually more attractive to hummingbirds, the tubular flowers are perfectly shaped for their bills.
Moist meadows, stream banks, and woodland edges in rich soil
Bee Balm is native to Eastern North America. It naturally grows in moist meadows, stream banks, and woodland edges in rich soil.
Scent Profile
“An intense, complex aroma of bergamot and mint, crush a leaf and the scent explodes. The flowers themselves carry the same citrus-herbal character, attracting hummingbirds and bees from great distances.”
Quick Reference
- Scientific NameMonarda didyma
- FamilyLamiaceae
- Native ToEastern North America
- Bloom SeasonSummer
- LifespanPerennial
Cultural Significance
Bee balm's other name is 'Oswego tea', after the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to this native plant as a caffeine-free alternative to English tea. The Oswego Nation taught settlers to brew it. Its bergamot-like scent earned it the name 'wild bergamot,' though it's unrelated to the citrus fruit used in Earl Grey.