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BERGAMONT
(Monarda didyma)
bee balm, Oswego tea
Description:
Perennial erect, aromatic, 4 ft. high. Square stem, grooved. Rough
lanceolate, toothed leaves grow in pairs on stem. Shaggy, scarlet
flowers on large heads of dense whorls, supported by a circle
of pale green, tinged with red, leafy bracts. Northeastern U.S.
in thickets, woods, prairies, damp light soil.
Edible,
Medicinal: Leaves of varieties of Monarda species used in
flavoring drinks, pot herbs and infused in oil for the hair. Leaves
containing antiseptic thymol are used for skin problems, steamed-inhaled
for colds, and brewed for nausea, flatulence, and insomnia.
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