Properties: Monarda species are said to have the following medicinal properties: antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anesthetic, antioxidant, carminative, rubefacient, diaphoretic, diuretic, worm expelling, and both relaxant and stimulant properties. It is because of the two essential oils carvacrol and thymol, which are present in varying amounts in Monarda depending upon species, that this plant is attributed with these many medicinal properties. M. punctata was farmed for the essential oil thymol in the United States during World War I when the European commercial thyme fields were destroyed. Geraniol, a third usable essential oil of Monarda is distilled from M. fistulosa plants and is used in the perfume industry.

Characteristics: M. fistulosa is a hardy perennial which blooms from late spring through summer. It grows wild throughout the prairies: in old fields and thickets; dry meadows; open woods; along the edges of scrubby patches particularly aspen poplar groves; and along the edges of dry woods. It is found from Quebec west to Alberta and throughout the Midwestern United States, and is hardy from zone 3 through to zone 9. It attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds and makes an excellent plant for any garden. It is perfect for wild gardens, herb gardens, container gardens or perennial gardens. Its unique flower heads are interesting to look at, so plant it where its flowers can be viewed. Hide the foliage with another shorter plant in front in case of powdery mildew, unless you know you won't have this problem from experience. In gardens where this is a persistent problem, make sure to purchase mildew resistant cultivars and practice good garden hygiene.

Mildew resistant cultivars of Monarda fistulosa have been developed at Morden Research Station. These beautiful cultivars are excellent performers in zone 3 gardens across the prairies. A very well-known hybrid developed there in 1986 is Monarda x 'Marshall's Delight'. This plant is an excellent example of a showy and hardy perennial for the foundation garden border. It is a complex hybrid of M. didyma 'Cambridge Scarlet' and M. fistulosa chosen for its aesthetic value, disease resistance and winter hardiness. It is highly mildew resistant and somewhat resistant to rust, only forming pustules on the underside of the leaves. In a well watered and well drained site with lots of sun, its showy pink flowers and yellow green leaves provide a bright spot of colour all summer long. In less perfect conditions, it is still an attractive plant.

Other cultivars developed by the Morden Research Station include: M. 'Neepawa' (1970) , M. 'Souris' (1965) and M. 'Wawanesa' (1963), all with pink to purple flowers. M. 'Minnedosa' (1965) and M. 'Miniota' (1970/1) are native selections from the Manitoba prairies and have white flowers. The Morden Research Station continues to develop new cultivars. M. 'Petite Delight' (1998) and M. "Petite Wonder' (2001) are two new pink flowering, mid-height, mildew resistant cultivars developed in Morden over the past few years.

History: It was John Bartram (1699-1777), a Philadelphia Quaker and noted botanist and plant explorer who sent regular consignments of plants to England, who first introduced Monarda to Europe. Linnaeus named Monarda to honour Nicholas Monardes (1493-1588), a Spanish botanist and physician who wrote the first book about herbaceous plants found in North America. Oswego tea, a common name of M. didyma, relates to where European explorers found it being used as a tea by Aboriginal people, the Oswego Indians near the Oswego River District near Lake Ontario in upstate New York. These Indians taught the early Americans how to use this plant for tea after the Boston Tea Party of 1773 resulted in a shortage of imported tea. Another common name, bergamot, relates to the resemblance of this plant's fragrance to the smell of bergamot orange (Citrus aurantium subsp. bergamia), the plant whose essential oil is used in Earl Grey tea. Monarda is not related to this plant, as the scientific names indicate. Bee balm, another common name, refers to the strong attraction bees have to this plant's lovely flowers.

Monarda makes an excellent beverage tea, aromatic and pleasant. It also has many medicinal properties and was used by Aboriginals as well as by early physicians to treat a long list of ailments: colds, coughs, fevers, flue, bronchial problems, colic, flatulence, nausea, stomach cramps, menstrual irregularity, bowel ailments, to expel worms, induce sweats, headaches, etc. Medicinally, it was used most often as a tea but sometimes was made into a poultice, especially for headaches. Other medicinal treatment methods for bronchial problems include inhalation of the extracted essential oil or vapour therapy. It is mainly due to the essential oils thymol and carvacrol, which are found in varying amounts in different Monarda species, that this plant is considered to have so many medical applications. Geraniol, a third usable essential oil of Monarda, is distilled from M. fistulosa plants and used in the perfume industry.

Over the past decade, M. fistulosa crosses have been farmed commercially for the essential oil geraniol in both Manitoba and Alberta. Manitoba Agriculture and Food estimates yields from Monarda are from 100 to 125 kilograms per hectare and caution that the market for the essential oils derived from Monarda is volatile and highly dependent upon the quality of the oil. Which varieties and cultivars of M. fistulosa perform best for the production of geraniol is being explored by Agriculture Canada at the Morden Research Station. Monarda fistulosa var. menthaefolia, which is indigenous to the southern Manitoba prairie, is one of the parents of a hybrid developed at Morden called 'Morden #3' which is especially useful for geraniol production. In 1993, over 70 hectares of 'Morden #3' were in cultivation in southern Alberta for geraniol production. Monarda, when grown as a crop for its essential oils, can also provide supplementary pollen for nearby bee farming.

Description:
Seed: small elliptical nutlets.
Flower: M. fistulosa: aromatic, pink or lilac / lavender and occasionally white with narrow two lipped corollas in crowded globose head-like clusters, fuzzy, 3/4" to 1-1/2 " long and numerous, 1" to 1-1/2" across when in full bloom. The calyx of each flower forms a narrow green tube, 1/2" with purplish teeth and a combination of these forms the head. Stigmas protruding from the flower's throat are receptive to pollen from other flowers when young and can self-fertilize when older. Bracts are slightly purple tinged. M. didyma: aromatic, flower clusters almost always solitary, terminal; bracts deep red to purplish; calyx glabrous or slightly hirsute in the throat; corolla scarlet, stamens exserted - tubular flowers in crowded heads in shades of white, red, pink or violet.
Leaf: aromatic opposite, paired leaves, heavily toothed on short petioles. M. fistulosa grey / green due to fine hairs, 1" to 3" long; triangular to oval or lance-shaped. M. didyma dark green, pubescent beneath and hairy above, ovate to ovate-lanceolate.
Stem: aromatic, stiff, square, fuzzy, rarely branch.
Height: M. fistulosa: 2' to 3'; M. didyma: 3' to 5'.
Habit: Most Monarda species are perennial, but some are annuals. Fewer still are biennial; Monarda fistulosa is a perennial (zones 3 through 9); M. didyma is an erect perennial (zones 4 through 9).
Chemical constituents: Carvacrol and thymol are two essential oils with medicinal constituents that are found in Monarda. Geraniol, another essential oil found in Monarda plants is used in the perfume industry. It is found in high concentrations in M. fistulosa. This species' leaves, flowers and stems all share a strong pleasant odour, similar to oil of bergamot used in Earl Grey tea.

Cultivation: Most species of Monarda are perennial, a few are annuals, and even fewer are biennials. Only M. fistulosa will reliably survive our harsh winters on the prairies. M. didyma and its cultivars may survive in a protected microclimate with adequate moisture and well drained soil. Species of Monarda that will only grow as annuals here, such as Monarda punctata, can be planted anew each spring or can be encouraged to naturalize. Some of the early M. fistulosa cultivars were selections from the wild. Newer cultivars are complex crosses using both M. fistulosa and M. didyma and their cultivars.

M. didyma likes more moisture than M. fistulosa and is fussier about soil too. M. fistulosa survives on our hard clay soils much better than its cousin. Both like lots of sun. M. fistulosa is not invasive, however it is a slow but steady spreader and may require some control in a formal garden bed. They should be divided every second or third spring to prevent dieback in the centre. Dividing like this will not only keep the plants healthier, it will also create new ones you can share with friends or use elsewhere in your garden. M. fistulosa is not fussy about soil type but prefers moisture and sun. They are useful for spots too moist for other plants, especially M. didyma. Under drier conditions, they do not spread as rapidly and are shorter. Extra watering during dry spells is recommended, but make sure not to wet the leaves to try to prevent mildew. They will grow in light shade but tend to get floppy with inadequate light. With sufficient sunshine they stand straight and do not require staking. Good air circulation and good drainage are a must to prevent mildew. Select mildew resistant cultivars such M. 'Marshall's Delight' or M. 'Petite Wonder'. Their blooming period can be extended by deadheading the flowers before seeds form. Deadheading also results in a neater plant, but seed heads can add interest to the winter garden. Or, to naturalize species Monarda, once the seeds are mature, break up the seed heads around the plant to encourage self-seeding.

A long blooming period and their exquisite flowers make them a colourful choice for the garden. Bee balms form mounds 3' or more across, covered in blooms of red, violet blue or pink. When harvesting, remember the leaves have their best flavour just before flowering; and the flowers should be newly opened when used to garnish salads. For fresh cut flowers, cut early in the morning. The flowers will last a long time if properly cared for. To dry, cut the stems before the flowers begin to fade and hang the plants upside down in small bunches. The flowers can also be dried in the microwave or using silica gel to prepare them for use in dried floral arrangements or potpourri. Silica gel is the best method for retention of flower colour.

Monarda looks great with other native prairie wildflowers such as purple coneflower, blazing star and black-eyed susans. Monarda is not commonly thought of as a herb, but because of it's many medicinal uses it earns its place in herbal gardens. Plant alongside yarrow, lamb's ears or borage. Or, for a striking contrast, place Monarda 'Marshall's Delight' alongside a clump of Dark Opal Basil. Monarda looks good planted in the middle of herb and perennial beds, as a colour accent in foundation beds or as the centre piece of a large container.

Propagation: plant seed (for species) or divide rhizomes (for cultivars) in early spring or fall. Seeds do not require stratification. Propagation by stem cuttings in summer is another option, especially when more new plants are desired. This is a more efficient way to produce a larger number of plants. Remember, cultivars will not come true from seed.

Medicinal Use: colds, coughs, fevers, flue, bronchial problems, colic, flatulence, nausea, stomach cramps, menstrual irregularity, bowel ailments, to expel worms, induce sweats, headaches, etc., most often as a tea but sometimes was made into a poultice, especially for headaches; other medicinal treatment methods for bronchial problems include inhalation of the extracted essential oil or vapour therapy.

Culinary Use: Monarda makes a lovely aromatic tea; its flowers are edible and can be used as a garnish in salads and summer punches.

RECIPES

Medicinal Tea
1 cup boiling water
1 tsp fresh Monarda leaves
honey to taste
Bring water to a boil. Pour boiling water over Monarda leaves and steep for 10 minutes. Strain into cup. Add honey to taste. Relax and enjoy. Best before bedtime.

Summer Salads
Garnish summer salads with fresh, newly opened Monarda flowers.

Punch Garnish your favorite summer punches or lemonade with fresh, newly opened Monarda flowers, and freshly picked new growth leaves.

REFERENCES

Web Sites
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Branch, Plant Introductions, Ornamentals, res2.agr.ca/winnipeg/orn.htm
Alternative Nature Online Herbal, Medicinal Plant Photo Gallery, Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot, M. fistulosa, www.altnature.com/gallery/beebalm.htm
Bergamot, www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/med-aro/factsheets/BERGAMOT.html
Botanical.com, A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve, Bergamot, www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/bergam32.html
Herb File Library, Monarda to Myrrh, members.tripod.com~Earthnotes/herbmon_myr.htm
Lemon Mint: Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses, www.lib.ksu.edu/wildflower/lemonmint.html
Manitoba Agriculture, Crops and Plants, Wild Bergamot, Bee Balm, Monarda, www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/medicinal/bkq00s08.html
Monarda Key and Descriptions, Key to Texas Species, www.lib.utexas.edu/lsl/Mints/monarda/monakey.html
Plant Selection Committee: Monarda 'Petite Delight', www.onla.org/ps_00monarda.html
Sunny Border Gold, www.sunnybordergold.com/html/index.html
"The Other Side of Beekeeping" by George and Sandy Ayers, Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, www.ent.msu.edu/abj/sep97.html

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