Also known as bee balm and bergamont. It comes in many colors: pink, red, blue, salmon, purple and white. I have the pink, red, and blue, and grow it mainly for the dried flowers. This plant is excellent for bee and butterfly gardens for it attracts both!
During the American Revolution in 1773, the colonists protested the tea tax with the Boston Tea Party-therefore not drinking English Tea. To satisfy their craving for tea, they drank tea made from bee balm leaves. This was introduced to them by the New York Oswego Indians, and is now called Oswego Tea. So, is Oswego Tea the same as Earl Grey Tea?--for Earl Grey Tea's main ingrediant is monarda!
So, what is MONARDA? It is in the mint family with the 'real' name of: Monarda Didyma. It grows to be about 2-4 feet tall with course, kinda hairy leaves. It grows hardy through zone 4, (although has a tendancy for mildew), in full sun to partly shady araes. Being it is in the mint family, some say that it is invasive. I haven't found this to be so. I just split mine after three years, shared with some friends, and will have a lovely spot this year!
I dried the flowers upside down for later use in floral arrangements, present decorations, swags and wreaths. The leaves can be dried, although they loose some of their flavor, for tea. Serve the flowers in salads, add to floral ice ring molds, or infuse into champange! The tea is used for releiving mentrual cramps, nausea, and gas. A steam bath with monarda will help broncial problems, and sore throats.