Bee Balm and Lemon Balm are not the same plant but both are members of the mint family, Lamiaceae. The visual difference is Bee Balm is larger and produces deep red flowers while Lemon Balm is smaller and has small white flowers.
What is lemon bee balm good for?
Lemon bee balm has been used medicinally to treat respiratory illnesses such as colds and coughs. It has a few culinary uses. Most people use it in teas or salads or to flavor desserts. It has also been used in wines and liqueurs.
What is bee balm good for?
Today, bee balm is still used as an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments. As a member of the mint family, when bee balm is used in teas, it can help with digestive issues, bloating, sore throats, and nausea. Bee balm is a natural antiseptic and applied topically, can help with bee stings, rashes, and minor wounds.
What is another name for lemon balm?
Lemon balm is available under the following different brand and other names: balm, bee balm, cure-all, dropsy plant, honey plant, Melissa, Melissa folium, Melissa officinalis, sweet balm, and sweet Mary.
Is bee balm and bergamot the same thing?
One of the loveliest of the flowering herbs, Bee Balm (also known as Bergamot), is a great attractor for hummingbirds and bees. Known also as beebread plant, Oswego tea, horsemint, and simply monarda, its leaves have a strong fragrance reminiscent of the bergamot orange.
Can I plant bee balm and lemon balm together?
Lemon balm companion planting is a real boon in the garden, as this perennial herb attracts bees and other beneficial pollinators, while the strong, citrusy odor deters several unwelcome pests, including gnats and mosquitoes.
Is Lemon bee balm invasive?
If you’re asking whether bee balm can be aggressive, then the answer is yes – especially in its ideal growing environment with moist soil in a full sun to part shade location. However, it is not technically deemed invasive everywhere.
Is bee balm toxic to dogs?
Bee balm is not poisonous for humans. In fact, eating the leaves will not harm a cat, dog or other animals in any way.
Should I deadhead my bee balm?
When bee balm blooms droop and wilt, the blooming process is halted, allowing seeds to grow. Regular deadheading transfers the energy that goes into producing seeds to the formation of more flowers and continuous blossoming. You should definitely deadhead your bee balm if you want to encourage more blossoming.
Should bee balm be cut back?
Once a stem has finished flowering, trim it back down to the ground or pinch it off. This will encourage the plant to send up another blossoming stem. In the fall or winter, you should prune bee balm after it has died back. Take it back down to just above the soil’s surface.
Does lemon balm keep mosquitoes away?
Lemon Balm
The lemon scent, which repels the bugs, is powerful. It rubs off very well onto the skin. Lemon balm repels mosquitoes and gnats.
Can I eat lemon balm?
In addition to the fresh herb, you can also consume lemon balm in the form of an oil or supplement. Lemon balm oils may be cut with water and vegetable glycerin, which just makes it safe to consume orally or used directly on your skin.
Can I drink lemon balm tea everyday?
Lemon balm tea is generally safe for consumption when consumed in small to moderate quantities. As with many teas and herbal remedies, lemon balm tea may cause adverse reactions in certain individuals.
Is Earl GREY tea made from bee balm?
The leaf of bee balm is used as an infusion in tea to help in the relief of insomnia, menstrual pain, nausea, and flatulence. A fresh leaf of bee balm infused with China tea will produce a flavor of Earl Grey Tea. Steam inhalation of the herb bee balm is helpful for sore throats and catarrh.
Is bee balm in Earl GREY tea?
It is not. The Bergamot Oil added to Earl Grey is Citrus bergamia, an entirely different plant. Bee Balm is used as a tea, for both medicinal effects and for a pleasant flavor.
What is the other name for bee balm?
bergamot
Monarda, called by the common names of bee balm, horsemint and bergamot, is part of the mint family.
Does lemon balm like sun or shade?
Perhaps it is in too much sun. Many herbs do well in the sun, but lemon balm needs shade. Especially in areas in which the summer sun is hot, this plant grows best with some shade in the afternoon or in a spot where there are tall trees to lessen the intensity of the sun.
Does bee balm smell like lemon?
About Bee Balm
When crushed, Bee Balm’s leaves smell very minty. Like Lemon Balm, it is a perennial herb and is native to many areas in the United States.
What can you not plant next to lemon balm?
Good companion plants and what not to plant next to lemon balm. Lemon balm is compatible with almost all perennial herbs, such as thyme and mint. Good companion plants should have the same site requirements. It is not recommended to grow alongside wormwood and annual herbs, especially basil.
What animal eats bee balm?
But birds don’t only enjoy Bee Balm in summer.
The nutlet attracts finches, sparrows, juncos, redpolls, among other species.
What should I plant in front of bee balm?
Companion Planting and Design
Bee balm is a perfect cottage garden plant. I like to let it ramble though a perennial flower border next to tall garden phlox, rudbeckia, roses, and peonies.
Lorraine Wade is all about natural food. She loves to cook and bake, and she’s always experimenting with new recipes. Her friends and family are the lucky beneficiaries of her culinary skills! Lorraine also enjoys hiking and exploring nature. She’s a friendly person who loves to chat with others, and she’s always looking for ways to help out in her community.