Panorama Mix Monarda
Regular price €3.00
Monarda didyma, also known by several other names, including crimson bee balm, scarlet bee balm or bergamot, is an aromatic herb native to eastern North America, where it grows wilm. Bee balm has a long history of use as a medicinal plant by many Native American peoples. In particular, the Oswego people made the leaves into tea, giving the plant one of its common names, Oswego tea, which was later used by American colonists during their boycott of British tea. The Panorama variety is a delightful, cultivated strain introduced more than 300 years ago and well known for brilliant shades of scarlet, crimson, red, pink and salmon.
Details
Latin name
Monarda didyma
Name
Monarda (Bee Balm)
Variety
Panorama Mix
Short description
A carefree, strong grower from America’s wild meadows.
Quantity
180 seeds
Plant size
Height 25 cm
Width 75 cm
Container size
Height 20 cm
Width 20 cm
Companion plant
Lavender, snapdragon, marigold, tomato, pepper, melon, eggplant.
How to grow
Sowing
Indoor Feb-Mar
Outdoor Apr-June
Timing
Germination 10-20 days
Harvesting 50-70 days
Spacing
When sowing 5 cm; Depth 0.2 cm
When thinning 5-10 cm
Growing
Sunligth Full sun to partial shade.
Soil Any well-drained soil.
Watering Regular watering, but not overdone.
Feeding Light feeder.
Caring
Expert tip To keep bee balm plants vigorous, divide them every two or three years. This is also a great opportunity to propagate the plants.
Supporting
Pollinators
Attracts bees, butterflies and birds.
Pests
May be attacked by slugs.
How to eat
Harvesting
For maximum flavour, harvest mid-morning by clipping the base of the stalk. Then, gather by the stems and hang to dry. Or spread the leaves and petals on a screen to dry naturally.
Eating
Medicinal properties Bee balm has a long history of use as a medicinal plant by many Native American peoples.
How to eat Bee balm tea can be made from both fresh and dried leaves. As a tea, the flavour is a mix of citrus and mint. As a herb, it has a pungent flavour that is a mix of sage and oregano and nicely complements roasted meats.
