Health Benefits of Bee Balm

Bee balm, also known as wild bergamot, is a wild perennial native to the United States. It’s a purple and fuzzy flower and it looks sort of like Dr. Seuss may have drawn it. As you may have guessed, bees and other pollinators LOVE it. But maybe a little more surprisingly, it also has many other health benefits for humans. Luckily, we have beaucoup bee balm here at Woodside!

Bee balm is antimicrobial, and like its name suggests it is used medicinally to soothe ailments, just like a topical balm would. It’s been used in the past to treat flu symptoms and fevers as well as to soothe digestive discomfort and abdominal pain. It’s also an antispasmodic so it helps treat persistent coughs, as well as may be taken to help gently calm the nervous system, the way a lemon balm or a mint tea may. Like many things you may find in the garden, it also helps treat stings, burns, and cuts.