Wild Bergamot(Monarda fistulosa)
Other Names:
Purple Bee Balm, Bee Balm, Wild Oregano
Range:
Family:
Lamiaceae – Mint family
Growth Type:
Herbaceous Perennial
Height:
2 - 3 ft High
Leaves:
Paired, serrated, lanceolate, opposite. Sometimes triangular or oval.
Stem/Trunk:
Like all members of the mint family, Wild Bergamot has square stems.
Root:
Shallow rhizomes
Flower Season:
Mid to late summer into early fall.
Flower Appearance:
Showy lavender purple flowers. Narrow lipped lavender tubes in crowded heads. The tips of the bracts are slightly purple tinged. The flower reminds one of a July 4th firework.
Seed/Fruit:
Not observed
Miscellaneous characteristics:
N/A
Habitat:
This meadow dwelling plant loves dry areas. Look for it along forest edges, roadsides, abandoned homesteads, and waste areas.
Parts Used:
Leaves, Flower Heads
Culinary Uses:
Leaves can be steeped in boiling water for 10 minutes, and then sweetened to taste.
The following text is meant for informational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness or injury. Always consult with a physician or other qualified medical care provider concerning the diagnosis and treatment of any illness or injury.
Energetics
Taste: Pungent
Thermal: Warming
Humidity: Drying
Medicinal Uses:
Native Americans use(d) Bergamot leaf tea to treat colic, flatulence, stomachaches, insomnia, heart trouble, fevers, colds and flues. They also used it to treat yeast infections. It was also said to be employed to stop nosebleeds. More modern western physicians used Bergamot to treat gas, and to expel intestinal worms. It is also an excellent Diaphoretic, meaning that it is used to increase outward circulation. This makes it wonderful at treating fevers, especially those which present as an increase in core temperature but with clammy skin. The plant is high in the essential oil carvacrol, which studies have shown to be an excellent anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. With the prevalence of this plant, I would suggest giving it a try. I try to always have some on hand. I have found that a tea of Wild Bergamot, Mullein, and Common Mallow, is wildly effective at treating any upper respiratory problems.
Cautions According To WebMD
Contra-Indications
None Known
Possible Side Effects:
None Known
Possible Interactions:
None Known
Medicinal Actions:
Anthelmintic,
Antifungal,
Anti-Inflammatory,
Antioxidant,
Astringent,
Cardiac Tonic,
Carminative,
Diaphoretic,
Diuretic,
Haemostatic,
Febrifuge,
Parasiticide,
Soporific,
Tonic: Cardiac
Herbal Preparations For Wild Bergamot
Standard Infusion
Part Used: Flowering Herb
Plant State: Fresh
Place 2 ounces of the fresh herb, or 1 ounce of dried, into a quart mason jar, and fill the jar with almost boiling water. Cover the jar, and let it sit for 8 to 10 hours. It is usually recommended that you make your infusions at night, then you can enjoy them the next day. If refrigerated, the infusion will last a day or two.
Dosage: 1-4 oz three times daily. Can be used as a gargle.
Tincture
Part Used: Flowering Herb
Plant State: Fresh
Alcohol Percentage: 50%
Plant to Alcohol Ratio: 1:2
Label a quart mason jar with the plant name, the part of the plant used, the percentage of alcohol used, and the date the tincture was started.
Fill the jar to the neck with chopped fresh leaves, then pour in 750 ml of 100 proof vodka, or 500 ml of 150 proof Everclear and 250 ml of water. Next pour the contents of the jar into a blender and blend until all of the plant material is thoroughly chopped into fine pieces and incorporated into the menstrum. This will increase the surface area and provide better leaching of the plant constituents. As a matter of fact, this method works so well that, if necessary, the tincture can be used in as little as 7 days. Now pour the contents of the blender back into the jar, being careful to scrape every last bit of goodness from the blender. Place a lid on the mason jar, shake it well, and place the jar in a dark cupboard. Once a day for the first 7 days, take the jar out of the cupboard and shake it well. Place the jar back into the cupboard, and leave it soak for another 3 weeks. After the tincture has soaked for 30 days, remove it from the cupboard and strain out the spent plant material. Your tincture will remain viable for 2-3 years.
Dosage: 45-90 drops as needed
Tincture
Part Used: Flowering Herb
Plant State: Dried
Alcohol Percentage: 50%
Plant to Alcohol Ratio: 1:5
Label a quart mason jar with the plant name, the part of the plant used, the percentage of alcohol used, and the date the tincture was started.
Place 150 grams of dried plant material into a quart mason jar. Now pour in 750 ml of 100 proof vodka, or 500 ml of 150 proof Everclear and 250 ml of water. Next pour the contents of the jar into a blender and blend until all of the plant material is thoroughly chopped into fine pieces and incorporated into the menstrum. This will increase the surface area and provide better leaching of the plant constituents. As a matter of fact, this method works so well that, if necessary, the tincture can be used in as little as 7 days. Now pour the contents of the blender back into the jar, being careful to scrape every last bit of goodness from the blender. Place a lid on the mason jar, shake it well, and place the jar in a dark cupboard. Once a day for the first 7 days, take the jar out of the cupboard and shake it well. Place the jar back into the cupboard, and leave it soak for another 3 weeks. After the tincture has soaked for 30 days, remove it from the cupboard and strain out the spent plant material. Your tincture will remain viable for 2-3 years.
Dosage: 45-90 drops as needed
