{"product_id":"bee-balm-monarda-fistulosa","title":"Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)","description":"\u003ch2\u003eBee Balm \u003cem\u003e(Monarda fistulosa)\u003c\/em\u003e\n\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eBee Balm is the kind of plant that makes you stop and stare. Its lavender-purple flower heads erupt in shaggy, firework-like blooms that hummingbirds dive into and bees circle like tiny planets. But beneath that spectacle is one of the most medicinally potent native herbs in North America — a plant the Ojibwe, Oswego, and many other Indigenous nations relied on for generations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBotanical Profile\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFamily:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lamiaceae (Mint family)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNative Range:\u003c\/strong\u003e Eastern and central North America, from Quebec to Georgia and west to the Great Plains; found throughout Louisiana\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUSDA Hardiness Zones:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3–9\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMature Size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2–4 feet tall\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloom Time:\u003c\/strong\u003e June–August\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSun:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun to part shade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e Well-drained to average moisture; tolerates clay; spreads by rhizome\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eTraditional \u0026amp; Medicinal Uses\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBee Balm (Wild Bergamot) has one of the richest medicinal histories of any North American native plant. Indigenous uses documented across dozens of nations include: antimicrobial teas for colds, sore throats, and respiratory infections; poultices for skin infections, acne, and minor wounds; steam inhalation for sinus congestion; and as a carminative for digestive upset. The Oswego people introduced it to European colonists as a tea substitute after the Boston Tea Party — it became known as \"Oswego Tea.\" Its key active compound, thymol, is the same antiseptic used in modern mouthwash and is documented to have strong antibacterial and antifungal properties. Cajun \u003cem\u003etraiteurs\u003c\/em\u003e used it as a reliable cold and fever remedy throughout the bayou country.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEcological Role\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eBee Balm is a hummingbird magnet and a critical nectar source for ruby-throated hummingbirds during their summer breeding season. It also supports bumblebees, sphinx moths, and specialist \u003cem\u003eMonarda\u003c\/em\u003e bees. Its tubular flowers are specifically adapted for long-tongued pollinators, making it an irreplaceable part of a diverse native garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eIn the Cajun Healing Garden\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of the \u003cem\u003eJardin — The Healing Garden\u003c\/em\u003e collection at Big Mamou Enterprises, Bee Balm carries the living memory of Indigenous medicine into the bayou garden — beautiful, powerful, and deeply rooted in the land.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Big Mamou Enterprises","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49765594267888,"sku":null,"price":2.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0824\/7171\/5056\/files\/bee-balm.png?v=1779792603","url":"https:\/\/realtimecajun.com\/products\/bee-balm-monarda-fistulosa","provider":"Big Mamou Enterprises","version":"1.0","type":"link"}