Names
Shoshone:
Unknown
English: Bee Balm
Scientific: Monarda fistulosa
Zone
Upper Foothills
Harvest Time
- Time not Specified
- Only one species of Monarda, here in Wind River environs, versus 2 used medicinally in Eastern Wyoming
Primary Uses
- Place wet leaves onto eyes to heal eye problems;
- detached retina; cataracts –
- Used for healing skin
- Taken internally for upset stomach
Secondary Uses
- Keep flies off meat or fish
Cautions
- None listed
Active Principle(s)
- Thymol (antiseptic)
Video Description of Plant
Click play on the video to learn more about this plant.
Notes
Medicinal Uses
- Abrasion: Leaves as a wound dressing
- Allergy: Steam inhaled as a bronchodilator
- Antibacterial: Leaf tea
- Anti-inflammatory: Tea for fever, rubbed on rashes and sore eyes
- Antiviral: tea for coughs, colds, flu
- Anxiety: Tea is a treatment for insomnia and anxiety
- Arthritis: Leaves rubbed on arthritic joints
- Burns: Anti-inflammatory dressing for burns
- Chest: Leaf and flower tea rubbed on upper body to reduce fever
- Congestion: Flower and leaf tea
- Cough: Leaf and flower tea
- Eyes: Leaves as compress for sore eyes on any eye problem
- Fever: Leaves and flowers in water internally and topically
- Glomerulitis: Kidney tonic
- Headache: Tea internally and rubbed on head
- Healing: Wound dressing
- Heart: Tea is considered heart healthy
- Infection: Flowers and leaves in tea, topically or internally
- Intestinal Health: Tea expels intestinal worms and parasites
- Kidney Nephritis: Kidney tonic
- Kidney Stones: Kidney tonic
- Lungs: Tea is bronchodilator steam inhaled
- Pain: Leaves and flowers rubbed on achy joints and toothaches
- Pneumonia: Steamed leaves and flowers. Tea to reduce fever
- Rash: Leaf infusion
- Sleep: Leaf tea for insomnia
- Stomach: Tea for upset stomach
- Swelling: Wound dressing
- Spiritual Health: Tea used at Sundance
- Teeth: Leaves compress for toothache
- Throat: Tea for sore throat, colds, coughs
- Urinary Tract Infection: Tea
- Vitamin C: Spice
- Wounds: Dressing
Process Prep
- Dried leaves and flowers as tea, pot herb, spice, or to keep flies off drying meat