Monarda (Bee Balm)
The monarda is a genus of plants native to North America. Monarda is known commonly as bee balm, horsemint, oswego tea and bergamot. Bee balm is often used to attract hummingbirds. It can be a great choice for any area of your yard that you would like to naturalize.
Besides being a highlight in your garden, bee balm has several other uses. Native Americans used it in medicine. Bee balm has a strong antiseptic affect, so they used it in poultices for skin infections and minor wounds. Tea was used to treat mouth infections and gingivitis. (Bee balm is the primary active ingredient in modern commercial mouthwashes.) It has also been used as a spice, as a stimulent, to treat fevers and headaches, and relieve excessive gas.
