Herbs that don’t suppress a fever are usually preferred. The leaf is used for coughs from cold and flu, picked at height of blooming and used fresh or dried. The purple wild bergamot is preferred medicinally and may be a febrifuge better than lemon balm. But do rush to a doctor, because infections there can be especially dangerous. See Medicinal tag key for more information.Ĭommon usage includes for mouth and throat infections related to tooth decay, and for bad breath. Medicinal tags include Antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Astringent, Febrifuge, and Carminative. Medicinal Uses of Bergamotīergamot is primarily said to support these body systems: The scarlet bee balm ( didyma) is the more citrusy of ours and comes closest to the same flavor as earl grey. The edible flowers can be nibbled and used as a garnish.Īs a bitter-minty tea wild bergamot is named after a different bergamot, citrus aurantium, which gives the popular tea earl grey its flavor. The thick stem is edible too, so no worries if you get a bit of that with your leaves. The leaves can be cooked as a potherb or you can use a pinch of the leaves as an herb for flavoring soups, stews and meat dishes. Surprisingly, it’s not called bee balm because bees love it, but because this astringent plant is used as a balm to draw out bee stingers. Bergamot has paired leaves running down it’s square stem. Note the leaves prominent in this first picture are actually brambles. These mints square stems can help you distinguish them from some lookalikes. There are a couple spots in Ontario that also have spotted bee balm AKA horsemint, which will be covered in a separate article. Although essentially native they’re likely an escapee from cultivation if you find them in the wild (I haven’t found them in the wild). Oswego-tea AKA scarlet bee balm ( monarda didyma) is also rare here. Wild bergamot ( monarda fistulosa) is rare here. It’s a native edible and medicinal plant that’s frequented by pollinators (although that’s not why it’s called bee balm!) And it’s a mint, named after the similar tasting bergamot orange that flavors earl grey tea. In Anishinaabemowin, sasaapkwaanins, bergamot is also popularly known as bee balm.
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