Monarda punctata - Spotted Bee Balm. Aka: spotted horsemint, horsemint. This plant has a small encyclopedia of information about it. Bloom time is from April to August. Bee balm is an herbaceous to semi-woody perennial with multiple branches. The stems are square with oblong toothed leaves and showy bracts holding the flowers that whorl upward around the stem in stacks from about half way up.. The flowers are small whitish to yellowish with purple spots and 2 lips and whitish purple tinged bracts underneath. Very attractive to your pollinators, all of them love this plant! The plant gives off a notable aroma similar to oregano and has many medicinal uses, along with edible treats. Some of the edible uses are: leaves used as a substitute for oregano, chopped up in salads, and steeped as a tea.

Medicinal uses are as follows:

Antimicrobial Fever

Antiseptic Headache

Backache Hookworms

Bacteriacide Kidney disease

Chills Menstruation, to bring on

Colds Neuralgia

Coughs Rheumatism

Delirium Stomach Ache

Diaphoretic Sudorific

Diarrhea Water retention

Digestive aid