MONARDA

A FIELD OF MONARDA

THISTLE-LIKE FLOWERS, SQUARE STEMS (IT'S A MINT)

Saturday, 9:30 AM.  70 degrees F at the ferry dock, 67 on the back porch.  Wind variable, with light to moderate gusts.  The sky is mostly clear, the humidity 76%.  The barometer is rising, now at 29.98",  predicting fair weather for the next week, with highs around 70.  Beautiful!
   Beebalm, Monarda fistulosa, in the Mint Family, is a relatively common inhabitant of meadows and prairies in much of North America.  It's thistle-like pinkish flowers add another flower color to the summer garden spectrum.  It spreads, and grows to about 3' in height.  The leaves are opposite on the stem
   Being a mint, the dried leaves make a refreshing tea, which also has strong antiseptic qualities and was a prominent Native American medicinal plant, and mixed with honey is still used in herbal medicine to treat colds and sore throats.   It has square stems, as do all mints.  The stems are also hollow, which is the Latin meaning of the species name. 
   Monarda didyma, red beebalm, is a native stream bank plant with similar qualities.
   Monardas are good garden plants if controlled, and are very welcome in native plant restoration projects .