There is a color I associate with July, and you could say it is heralded by the bright crimson bursts of Independence Day. Throughout this month, some of the local flora and fauna come into their own and begin to sprinkle the swath of green with stark scarlet. Raspberries and blackberries pop along the shady edges of the woods; the clover shifts from its white flowers to some of its purples and reds; even the sumac has begun to flower atop winding, thin trees.

I love all of these colors and blooms for their own reasons, but atop them all, I do have a distinct favorite, and that would be bee balm. We have a few spots throughout our property and our grandparents’ property nearby where it grows each year, perhaps a few feet tall with bright red blazing heads when they bloom.

My wife and I liked them so much when we first discovered them that we ordered seed for more when we got our vegetable seeds orders done in the spring. We planted some last year, and transplanted them into a few permanent planters around the property, watching the bee balm put on some growth, but not flower in their inaugural year.

As luck would have it, it would appear that this year they will flower, as many are forming large closed buds ready to put on a show for our 250th anniversary as a country. What better flower to celebrate than one akin to a firework?

They haven’t popped open yet, but the native ones are already bursting with vigor. Our plants, although late to the spectacle, are already at least a foot taller overall. My wife has been very excited for their commencement because they are perennials, and once they complete their growth cycle this year, they should be heartily established going forward. I certainly like a plant that takes a little less work each year to grow.

To be fair, though, I’m not just about pretty flowers. I like them all the more if they happen to serve a purpose. If you are looking to buy bee balm as seed, you will want to look for bergamot. Bergamot is known to be a very useful herb, good for antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory purposes. This is mostly due to its concentrations of thymol. You can take it as tea medicinally or simply as a preferred flavor, and it helps with respiratory and digestive issues. You can also apply it to some skin conditions.

Per the name, I suggested to my wife that we make actual balm from bee balm, so that she could use up some of her extra beeswax from her recent apiary ventures. What could bee more appropriate?

It adds to the poetic justice of it all that our bees most likely have been visiting these flowers already and will get much needed food for their hive. I have to stop my brain from imagining the possibilities of a whole bergamot plot planted around their hives to make a bergamot-based honey… I feel like it should have a dark red hue to make it more obvious what they’ve been pollinating. Alas, they have a plentiful patch of goldenrod and several fields of corn to keep their sugaring activities supplied already.

The way out here, we are inspired by certain aesthetics, but are more excited when we learn how it all ties together to make not only us healthy and fed, but also keep our many micro-farmers buzzing around the grounds. If you have a spot around your home to plant some bergamot, I would highly recommend it. Not only bee-cause they are bee-autiful, but also to brazenly benefit any busy buzzers, brilliantly bequeathing their bounty for us to enjoy.