Description and Growing Information
Bee Balm is a very pretty herb with a wonderful fruity, minty
aroma. The gorgeous tubular flowers, held like a crown at the
top the 3-4 foot stems in mid and late summer come in a lot of
colors including red, pink and purple. On top of all these
qualities, it is a hardy perennial herb that will grow in all zones.
Bee Balm requires full sun or light shade and fertile, light and
moist soil. It is best propagated by division or cuttings rather
than seed because the seed isn’t always true to the parent plant.
In the Garden
Bee Balm is so pretty it should be included in your flower beds.
It will attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your
garden. I know it’s hard to welcome bees into the garden, but
remember that we need them to pollinate our plants. Good
partners for Bee Balm are Purple Coneflower (Echinacea
purpurea), Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), and Lavender
(Lavandula).
Uses
Tea. This is a wonderful tea herb. To make a cup of tea,
simply place tablespoon of fresh or one teaspoon of dried Bee
Balm leaves and/or flowers in a tea strainer or tea spoon and
pour one cup of boiling water over it. Allow it to steep for ten
minutes and bring the tea out. Sweeten if you wish and enjoy.
Cut Flowers. The flowers make excellent cut flowers. Be sure
to cut the stems at an angle so they can take up water.
Culinary. Chop the leaves and flowers and add to fruit salads
for extra flavor. Garnish any type of salad with the leaves and
flowers.
Preserving
The leaves and flowers of Bee Balm can be dried and used for
potpourri or tea. To dry, bundle 8-10 stems with a rubber
band at the cut end and hang upside down until crisp to the
touch. Crush and store in airtight containers out of direct
sunlight.
About the author:
Monica Resinger is the Editor of The Homemaker's Journal Ezine, a jam-packed e-mail e-zine that publishes the collective advice of thousands of homemakers in all home and garden topics like organizing, cooking, parties, decorating, cleaning, family life, gardening, crafts and much more! Become a part of our family and receive this fun and informative resource Monday through Friday. Join now by sending a blank e-mail to:
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