Bee Balm Basics

Reasons to Love Bee Balm

You might know about bee balm by its many names: Bee Balm because the bees love it and it helps out with bee stings, Bergamot due to its aroma, or Oswego Tea because Native Americans in Oswego, NY used it to make tea. I discovered this beautiful flower while walking in the mountains and loved the beautiful blooms coming from it. I even have it growing in my yard! You can find this flower in multiple colors, some are red, lavender, blue, or white depending on the type of bee balm you have. Mine right now are a stunning lavender color. I do plan to harvest mine for teas and healing salves. I enjoy reaching for this for a tea to help with digestion after eating a big dinner.

🌿 Herbal Benefits of Bee Balm

Bee Balm helps support your digestive system by reducing bloating after eating, but traditionally bee balm is used for so many things. If you look back in wartime history you might find that bee balm was used to help slow bleeding. Many soldiers would chew on them and wrap them under bandages to help slow bleeding in the middle of battles. Another fun traditional use is boiling the leaves and wrapping them around your head to help soothe headaches or sore eyes. you can even use bee balm as a mouth wash to help aid in sore throats, toothaches, and mouth sores. This was a new one for me.

☀️ Summer (or Seasonal) Support

In the summer, Bee Balm is blooming and helping your garden attract pollinators galore! While doing some research on Bee Balm, I never found a specific summer support, but it does help support your garden and the bees! I think the main thing to focus on is the benefit of the plant helping with bee stings.

🍵 Herbal Recipe: Healing Salve

This healing salve is great to keep in your own Herbal First Aid Kit to help with bee stings and other insect bites.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Olive Oil, or any carrier oil
• 1/2 cup of fresh bee balm or 1/4 cup dried bee balm
• 2 tbsp of bees wax
• Double broiler (if you do not have one no worries)
• Jar
• Metal Balm containers
  Instructions:

1. If you have a double broiler, you will use that to infuse the bee balm into the oil of your choice. If you do not have a double broiler, you can set a pot inside another pot that is full of water and bring to a boil to make your own 'double broiler'. OR you can use the solar method. You will add your oil and bee balm to a glass jar and let sit in the window for a month to infuse.
2. Once you have your bee balm infused with the bee balm, you will melt your bees wax into your infused oil.
3. When everything is melted you can pour into your containers and let cool.
4. Once they are cooled down you can use them for skin irritation or bee stings!

🛒 My Favorite Tools + Products

Here are some of my favorite tools and places to buy bee balm from!

• Mountain Rose Bee Balm
• Favorite Carrier Oil for the salve

🌕 Closing Reflection

I hope you are able to enjoy some bee balm this summer and enjoy the beauty it brings to your garden if you plant it!

• Check out last months herb of the month
• Share your experience with Bee Balm on my Patreon Account (free to join!)
• Share you experiences with Bee Balm on my Facebook Page! @Appalachian Yoga and Wellness