Spotted bee balm is an aromatic plant perfect for a culinary spice or tea. It is similar to oregano in flavor.
Monarda punctata
spotted horsemint
EDIBLE leaves, flowers
Make no mistake: the delicate blossoms of spotted bee balm are not delicate at all. Rather these beauties carry a potent flavor—spicy and aromatic, similar to oregano—which you can gather for seasoning and teas.
Spotted bee balm is a perennial native, mint-family plant. Typically 6 to 8 inches tall but ranging up to 3 feet tall, it grows in stands connected by runners and prefers dry sandy soil in full sun. The stem is square, and leaves are opposite, slightly toothed, and slightly hairy. Its blooms are showy—creamy whitish green and with lilac spots—with large pink bracts below each blossom.
Spotted bee balm is an aromatic plant perfect for a culinary spice or tea. It is similar to oregano in flavor.
The fresh spring leaves and stems of spotted bee balm can be gathered anytime and used in the kitchen fresh or dried. In mid- to late summer, the full stalk of the plant can be gathered (depending on the size of the stand—do not cut down full plants for their stems, as nothing will be left for the butterflies and honeybees).
Collect the stalks of spotted bee balm in warm, dry weather. The stalks can be bundled and dried for use as tea in the winter. Store all fully dry plant material in airtight containers to preserve the aromatics.
As a culinary spice, spotted bee balm can be used in pizzas, pasta sauces, chili, and other recipes that call for Italian seasoning combinations. Infuse this spicy herb in olive oil for a versatile aromatic oil that can be used for dipping bread or as a base for salad dressings.
Spotted bee balm can be infused into cold water for a refreshing summer iced tea. Its healing properties truly shine when brewed as a hot tea: its warming aromatics dispel the damp chill of a rainy day, can stimulate circulation in cold hands and feet, and soothe anyone suffering fever and chills. It also has excellent antimicrobial properties. Infuse its fresh flowers and leaves in honey to make a topical ointment for burns and fungal infections.
For future harvests, cut only a portion of the plant to use for tea and leave some blossoms to go to seed. This is an easy-to-grow perennial that can be propagated by runners, cuttings, and transplants in the fall.