Scarlet bee balm. This treasure of Native American shamans can be grown in your garden

Few people know this charming beauty but you may see it in urban areas where it is planted because it is a very undemanding plant. You may see it in garden stores where it is usually sold as a charming perennial, but Monarda didyma can do more than please the eye only.

This beauty also offers many medicinal effects. It contains the same active substance as thyme – thymol essential oil, and just like thyme it is used to help with respiratory and digestive problems.

Only large bunches will give you a big harvest

So, if you already have this plant in your garden, now is the right time to propagate it. Separate the bunches from each other with a spade and transplant them to other suitable places. It likes sunlight and humus-rich, permeable soil. During hot summer days you need to provide more water. You need to monitor it closely so, plant it somewhere where you can see it easily.

Photo: Pixabay

As soon as scarlet beebalm starts to bloom (at the beginning of summer)), start collecting the flowering stems. Do not worry. It flowers until autumn. . Tie the flowering stems into bundles and store in a shady place.

Tea or extract for inhalation

Get one teaspoon of dried leaves of Monarda didyma and pour hot water over it. This will give you a wonderful healing tea to fight colds and flu. You can also gargle it to clean and disinfect your mouth or use it as a mouthwash to fight gingivitis. Dried leaves and stems are usually added to bath and inhaled. It helps with bronchi inflammation and relaxes the airways.

Digestive problems or menstrual pain

You may use the same tea when you suffer from indigestion or pain during menstruation. A decoction is used externally to treat various eczema. You should not use scarlet bee balm internally for more than three months.

Preview photo: Pixabay