Botanical Name: 
Monarda fistula var. menthafolia (Laminaceae)
Common Names:
Bee Balm, Oregano de la Sierra, Wild Oregano, Mountain Oregano
Southwest Habitat:
Grows in colonies, usually found in riparian habitats or dry stream beds. Occasionally found away from water in small depressions in the ground where a bit of extra moisture collects.
Fairly easy to cultivate in Flagstaff gardens where its spreading nature is welcomed since it is such a useful plant. Available at Native Plant and Seed in Flagstaff.
Energy & Tastes:
Spicy, very warming
Chemistry:
Very spicy aromatic due to phenols of thymol, carvacrol and eugenol. These give the plant its strong support for the immune system.
Preferred Method of Preparation:
There is something very special about a fresh tincture prep of the leaves and flowers. Dried leaves are OK but not the same as fresh. Dried leaves are fine for culinary uses that are similar to dried oregano. I also make a fresh leaf and flower honey with Monarda that is exquisite.
Monarda blooms the first part of July so that is the best time to harvest the flowers and leaves. The leaves can also be picked any time they are spicy and aromatic. The oils begin to diminish as summer moves into August so it is best to pick before then.
Herbal Actions:
Diffusive, carminative, anti-microbial, diaphoretic
Therapeutic Uses:
Several types of infections: UTI, yeast, throat, lungs
Steam for congested sinus and lungs
Stimulates digestion, helps nausea and bloating
Increases circulation so is useful for cold, sluggish conditions
Oregano substitute when cooking
Cold – flu – fever remedy, has some similarity to osha in this regard
Cough syrup for cold wet conditions, a stimulating expectorant. Can be made into a cough syrup formula or use the fresh Monarda honey straight for this
Great for kapha, use restraint with vata and pitta or combine with moistening or cooling herbs to balance the formula
Safety Issues & Contraindications:
Very heating so should be avoided or used with care with signs of excess heat, especially in digestion.
The Plant Profiles are brief materia medica summaries of plants encountered during plant walks or introduced during class on our longer programs. They are presented here to help students organize plant info on an ongoing basis. Although the Profiles are not meant to be comprehensive, they are offered here to the public in the hope that others find these pages useful.
