Monarda is the name of a number of plants belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Their herb is endowed with a citrus aroma and has known medicinal properties. Information about existing indications and contraindications for taking drugs from the plant, as well as some recipes and detailed video material can be found in the article.

Due to the scent emitted by various parts of the monarda, it is often called bergamot. In fact, these are two completely different plants. Monarda is an herb and bergamot is a citrus tree, a type of Seville orange. The plant came to Europe from America, where it was used by the Indians as a flavoring base for drinks and a medicine.

The plant looks like this:

• stem erect, branched, up to 1 m in height;
• serrated leaves have an oblong shape;
• the flowers are collected in inflorescence-heads, which are located one above the other along the stem.

Currently, 22 species of monarda and more than 50 hybrid forms are known. Most plants are grown in cultivation.

Some plant varieties

• Falve monarda is not only a medicinal plant, but also a spicy and melliferous plant. In addition, its pink flowers are decorative, which allows the bushes to be planted in various garden compositions. In cooking it is used as a seasoning. As a medicine, it has bactericidal, expectorant, and digestion-improving properties.

Palmate monarda

• Double monarda is a very decorative perennial. Its flowers are bright red. This particular variety is called “Oswego tea,” since its aromatic infusion was consumed as a hot drink by the Indians of the tribe of the same name.

Double monarda

• Lemon-smelling monarda is a plant with a pronounced citrus aroma. It grows well in the garden in both sun and shade.

Lemon-scented monarda

• Dwarf monarda - this variety has a not so tall stem and smaller flowers. Its dried herbs and flowers are used in cooking.

Dwarf monarda

• Random monarda or "oriental bee balm" - endowed with lilac flowers. A very good honey plant.

Attention! Only the first two varieties of the plant are used as a medicine, and in homeopathy the double monarda is considered more effective.

What are the benefits of monarda?

All aerial parts of monarda contain large quantities of essential oil. In aromatherapy it is considered the best antiseptic. In addition, preparations from the plant relieve fever and cramps. Experts recommend Monarda preparations for the following conditions:

• various inflammations in the mouth, sore throats, tonsillitis;
• teenage acne, acne of various ages, boils, fungal skin infections;
• colds, flu;
• disorders of the gastrointestinal tract;
• dandruff with oily seborrhea;
• conjunctivitis;
• shallow wounds, ingrown nails, abscesses;
• diseases of the genital and urinary organs.

Monarda is used in cosmetology and folk medicine

Preparations from monarda

Powder, decoctions and infusions of herbs and flowers are widely used for cosmetic purposes. They are used as washes, rinses, added to masks, etc. A wonderful remedy for treating skin problems is monarda essential oil. Add a few drops of it to baths, ointments, creams, masks, etc.

Monarda grass is recommended to be added to herbal preparations used for colds. It contains vitamins C and group B, which allows decoctions to work as a means of gently enhancing immunity. Monarda extract, together with other drugs, is used as an effective anthelmintic.

Advice. Dried stems and flowers of monarda are good for rearranging things in the closet. This prevents moths from damaging natural fabrics.

Gardeners have also found uses for the plant. Its infusion is used as a remedy for aphids and other insects that cause considerable damage. In cooking, dried monarda is used as a spice for meat and fish, side dishes and salads.

When should you not use Monarda?

There are certain contraindications to the use of monarda preparations:

• allergy;
• persistent increase in blood pressure;
• some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver;
• pregnancy, lactation period.

Of course, before you start using Monarda drugs, you should definitely consult your doctor. Indeed, in many cases they only help relieve symptoms, but they cannot completely cure the disease.

Dried monarda

Recipes for medicines from monarda.

1. Oil. The dry above-ground part of the plant is mixed in a ratio of 1:20 with vegetable oil purified from impurities. The container with this mixture is placed in a water bath and heated for at least 3 hours. The resulting oil is cooled and then filtered. The drug can be stored for no more than 2 months in a dark bottle.
2. Infusion on water. 1 tsp dried monarda is poured with a glass of boiling water. Let it sit for a while. You should drink this amount throughout the day.
3. Decoction for inhalation. 2 tbsp. dried herbs and flowers are poured with water in a volume of 0.5 liters. Leave for 1 hour, then boil for 10 minutes. The resulting decoction is poured into a special inhaler and the vapors are inhaled for 15 minutes.
4. Wound healing paste. 2 tbsp. herbs pour 1 tbsp. boiling water Leave to cool with the lid tightly closed. Strain. You can wash the skin around the injury with water, and the pulp itself, wrapped in an easily permeable cloth, can be applied to the wound.

Monarda is an unusual flower. This guest from America is able to decorate the garden and improve health. With all its advantages, the plant is absolutely unpretentious and is accessible to everyone to grow.

Benefits of Monarda: video

This tall plant (0.8 - 1 m) with original flowers - “tattered”, whose leaves smell like the aromas of different oils, came to us from America.

And in botany, according to the classification of Carl Linnaeus, it is named after another scientist who first described this plant.
And although its decorative properties are also used in our latitudes, it is the taste and medicinal qualities of monarda that have so far found much greater use.

What benefits are contained in monarda?

In the aboveground part of the monarda (leaves and inflorescences) - up to three percent EO (essential oil).

Depending on the type and variety, essential oils may differ in composition, but they always contain phenols, isomeric hydrocarbons and other substances: p-cymines, t imol, aromatic aldehydes, methyl ester.

The grass also contains vitamins: C, B1 and B2.
The essential oil of this plant is considered the best antibactericidal a remedy in aromatherapy.

Monarda: medicinal properties

Medicines from the plant have the following effects on the body:

• antiseptic,
• antispasmodic,
• laxative/diuretic.

Tea brewed from the flowers of the plant tastes similar to mint. Red monarda flowers, which grow in the wild, are used for preparation.

The drink is recommended to be consumed:

• as a means of reducing fever,
• for gastrointestinal disorders.

But tea brewed from the leaves of the plant is good for colds.

Application in medicine

Monarda, the healing qualities of which were discovered several centuries ago, is used for various diseases - the herb is known in both folk and traditional medicine.

Monarda essential oil
The oil can be bought at a pharmacy. A large number of medical preparations are also produced on its basis.
The product improves blood circulation and protects the body from the harmful effects of excessive doses of radiation.

Monarda oil is also used for burns and cuts; for faster healing of fractures, as well as for tuberculosis, atherosclerosis, anemia. The medicine has an anti-sclerotic effect.

Recipe for making buttermonarda at home:

• Dry monarda herb - 1 part,
• refined vegetable oil - 10 parts,
• heat for 2.5 hours in a water bath (t 55-60⁰C), cool, filter.

Monarda infusion
One teaspoon of raw monarda is poured with 250 grams of boiling water and left for 10 minutes and taken throughout the day.

You can drink the infusion either hot or cooled to room temperature. You can add sugar if there are no contraindications.
This infusion helps normalize the functioning of the nervous system.

Use in cooking

Monarda is a spice that is used in culinary arts. In fact, the herb is grown primarily as a spice. It can be added to different dishes: meat and fish, side dishes, salads and even jam - depending on your taste preferences.

Monarda (flowers and leaves of the plant) is also used to preserve tomatoes and cucumbers. This way, the preservation lasts longer and acquires a wonderful bergamot aroma.

Contraindications

• Liver and kidney diseases.
• Hypertension.
• Pregnancy and lactation period.

The plant should not be added to tea for allergy sufferers; we should wait with this and in relation to preschool children.
In principle, excessive use of any medicinal herb, even in the absence of clearly expressed contraindications, will lead to a deterioration in well-being after some time.
Moderation should be observed in everything.

Many gardeners grow in their gardens a beautiful plant called monarda, the beneficial properties of which are not known to everyone. In most cases, it is grown for its decorative appearance, unaware of its therapeutic effect, which helps get rid of a number of diseases.

Description

Monarda is an essential oil plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The straight branching stem can reach a height of 100 cm or more.

The opposite, serrated leaves, covered with reddish veins, are oval in shape and have a pointed tip. Their color is light green with a slight silver tint.

Flowering begins in July and lasts about 50 days. Sometimes this period extends until frost. Small flowers can have different colors - pink, red or lilac. They are collected in inflorescences with a diameter of 8 cm and have an unusually pleasant aroma, being an excellent honey plant. By the age of five, the plant can form up to hundreds of flowering shoots.

When the flowering period ends, dry fruits are formed, consisting of four nuts. At the same time, the monarda flower does not lose its decorative effect at all. Almost all parts of this plant have beneficial properties.

Growing conditions

Monarda is not a very demanding crop; it can be grown in almost any garden. The plant is resistant to cold and extreme heat and easily tolerates dry periods. It is best to plant it in well-lit or slightly shaded areas. The main thing is that they are not blown by winds, as this can lead to deformation of the shoots.

Monarda prefers light and noble soils, therefore, when planting a plant in an acidic environment, it is necessary to carry out liming. This culture feels especially good in the place where annuals such as gypsophila, iberis, etc. grew before it.

Care

Lemon monarda, the beneficial properties of which are difficult to overestimate, is an excellent option for a low-maintenance garden. All care for it comes down to watering, loosening and fertilizing, which is done only 2 times a year - during planting and after flowering. In the fall, the entire above-ground part of the plant is cut off, and its root system is frost-resistant and tolerates winter very well.

Transfer

In spring, when the first shoots appear, the plant can be divided and replanted. After this, Monarda blooms more profusely, and a large number of shoots appear on it.
It is not recommended to leave the plant in one place for more than 5 years without replanting. Monarda is also propagated by seeds, sowing them directly in open ground in the spring.

Beneficial features

The main beneficial component of monarda is the natural analgesic thymine. This is a substance with a strong antiseptic effect. In addition to it, the presence in the plant of a large amount of vitamins, antioxidants and retinoids determines the medicinal properties of monarda: antiseptic, hemostatic, antifungal, regenerative, immunostimulating and others.

Beneficial properties of essential oil

This is the most valuable broad-spectrum bactericidal agent, due to which it is used to treat many diseases of Monarda. The beneficial properties of essential oil help relieve spasms, inflammation, remove toxins and poisons from the body, help strengthen the immune system and allow this remedy to be used in the fight against flu and colds. It can serve as a natural blood preservative, preventing the engraftment of foreign tissue. This is a remedy that helps cure radiation sickness and protect the body from radiation. Adding monarda essential oil to tea promotes recovery after chemotherapy.

In addition, it is used to treat burns, eczema, dermatitis, and bronchial asthma.

Monarda essential oil is effective against fungal diseases, helps get rid of dandruff and hair loss, and has a rejuvenating effect on the skin.

Thanks to its antibacterial properties, the oil serves as an effective means for purifying and disinfecting indoor air during epidemics. By adding it to water when taking a bath, you can get a warming and muscle-relaxing effect.

Use in folk medicine

Monarda is a plant whose beneficial properties are in demand in folk medicine. To combat illnesses, it is used in a variety of dosage forms. A decoction prepared from the leaves and flowers of monarda helps with colds. Dry crushed parts of the plant are poured with boiling water and left in a water bath for 40 minutes (4 tablespoons of herb per glass of water). It is also a good remedy for burns, frostbite and cuts. To treat conjunctivitis, use an infusion of the leaves of the plant, pour boiling water over them and leave under the lid for 25 minutes.

Preparations based on manarda are effective for juvenile acne and bacterial skin diseases, food poisoning and problems associated with gynecology, pneumonia, tuberculosis, atherosclerosis and cystitis.

Face masks containing monarda are very effective. The beneficial properties of this plant help cleanse problematic skin and prevent inflammatory processes. The herb is brewed in a thermos and left for 10 hours, after which blue or white clay is added.

For inflammation of the gums, stomatitis and toothache, simply chew the fresh leaves of the plant. In cosmetology, monarda can be found in anti-aging creams.

Use in cooking

In many countries around the world this plant is included in the product catalog. Its pleasant taste and extraordinary aroma make it an indispensable ingredient in preparing all kinds of dishes. Fresh herbs are added to soups, salads, and borscht, helping to increase appetite and improve digestion.

Tea, jelly, and compotes acquire a special aroma if they contain monarda, the beneficial properties of which make these drinks effective against colds. They also strengthen the immune system.

The greens of this plant in combination with basil, mint, and tarragon are an excellent seasoning for fish dishes and baked goods. To ensure that monarda does not lose its beneficial properties during prolonged heat treatment, it is added to dishes a few minutes before cooking.

Brewing a small amount of dry leaves and flowers of the plant along with black or green tea not only adds a special aroma to the drink, but also makes it an excellent prophylactic against flu and colds.

Contraindications

Due to the fact that monarda is a relatively new plant in garden plots, some people may experience an allergic reaction to it in the form of a skin rash or swelling of the larynx. To do this, it is often enough to simply inhale the aroma of a flowering plant.

Due to the high concentration of thymol, products prepared on the basis of monarda are not recommended for hypertensive patients, people with diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract or problems with the liver and kidneys. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are also contraindications for taking medications based on this plant. Children under 5 years of age should not be given tea with monarda to avoid causing an allergic reaction.

In any case, you should take products containing monarda, the beneficial properties and contraindications of which are described above, carefully, preferably after receiving a recommendation from your doctor, so as not to cause harm to your health.

It is known that self-treatment using any folk remedies sometimes allows you to miss a serious disease. Therefore, before starting treatment with Monarda-based drugs, it is recommended to undergo an examination and receive prescriptions from a doctor. Especially when it comes to oncology.

Monarda in the garden

Monarda is grown not only as a medicine or a spice (useful properties, photos and descriptions of the plant are given in the article). This plant is charming in its own way and, although not particularly bright, can become a decoration for any garden. Its beautiful flowers have a very interesting shape. Thanks to its bright greenery, it remains decorative until frost. In addition, monarda is an excellent honey plant that attracts a large number of beneficial insects to the garden.

It looks great both in the background and surrounded by flowers such as phlox, lychnis, rudbeckia and helenium. Fans of dry bouquets will also like this plant.

This plant is sometimes mistakenly called bergamot. The reason for this was the pleasant aroma. But other than that, monarda has nothing in common with this plant. Bergamot, whose beneficial properties are also very well known, is a subtropical crop and does not grow in the middle zone. It is this plant that is used in the famous bergamot tea. Monarda is also called American lemon balm and mountain balsam for its amazing unique aroma.

Syn: wild bergamot, bee balm, horse mint, golden lemon balm, Indian nettle, Oswego tea.

Monarda is a genus of herbaceous perennial plants. Currently grown as an ornamental plant and used as a seasoning. It is also used in folk medicine to treat various diseases and strengthen the immune system.

Ask the experts a question

Flower formula

Monarda flower formula: ♀○H(5)L(2.3)T2.2P(2) or *H(5)L(5)T5P(2).

In medicine

Monarda is not used in official medicine, but the essential oil of the plant is widely used in homeopathy and folk medicine due to its broad-spectrum bactericidal effect.

Contraindications and side effects

Monarda is contraindicated for women during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as for children. It is also prohibited to carry out aromatherapy with monarda essential oil in rooms where there are small children or pregnant women.

In cooking

Monarda has an unusual pleasant taste and fragrant aroma, so it is added to various dishes. Fresh herbs are added to salads, okroshka, cabbage soup, borscht and soups. It adds flavor to jelly and compote, pear and apple jam, and fruit jelly. Monarda greens can also be used to prepare delicious seasonings for fish and vegetable dishes - it goes well with mint, basil, oregano, tarragon and fennel. In sweet dishes, monarda goes well with orange zest, lemon balm, cloves and cinnamon.

In the food and alcoholic beverage industries, monarda is used as a natural flavoring, preservative and antioxidant. It is most often used in the production of vermouth, due to which the drinks acquire a refined aroma and taste. Monarda is also an exquisite spice. It is mainly widespread in the United States and England, where the spice is usually added to meat dishes and hot tea.

Monarda can be added when canning vegetables directly into jars. Vegetables will acquire the aroma of bergamot and will be stored longer due to the bactericidal properties of the plant.

In cosmetology

Monarda essential oil is included in the creams and balms of Mirra, a famous Russian cosmetics company.

Monarda oil is also contained in cosmetics for the care and treatment of problem skin, hair, nails (including fungal infections), which has an antibacterial effect. Such creams are a good remedy for inflamed and oily skin, as well as for acne-prone skin.

Monarda essential oil is widely used in the preparation of anti-aging cosmetics due to the high antioxidant effect of the oil.

Concentrated aromatic extracts from monarda plant materials are used as fragrant biologically active additives for cosmetics and household chemicals in aerosol packaging.

In other areas

In crop production

Most of the monardas are perennial plants, the above-ground parts of which die off in winter and grow again in spring. The value of edible varieties of monarda lies in the fact that the greenery of the plant is preserved from March to November, despite light frosts. Monarda is often used as an ornamental plant. Depending on the variety, monarda inflorescences can be red, white, pink and purple.

Monarda can be planted with seeds by sowing them in May in the ground to a depth of 1-2 cm. The germination temperature of Monarda seeds is about 20 degrees, but the seedlings grow quite slowly. Monarda can also be grown using seedlings. Seeds are planted in March, and seedlings are planted in the ground only after the end of spring frosts.

Grown-up monarda seedlings dive at a distance of 10-20 cm from each other. It must be remembered that in the first year after sowing, monarda does not bloom.

Monarda prefers sunny places, although it can also tolerate partial shade. The plant is undemanding to soil, but grows better in light calcareous soils and does not do well in highly acidic and very damp soils.

Monarda spreads very quickly across the territory due to underground shoots and fallen seeds, so it is better to contain the spread of the plant throughout the area.

Monarda is planted in group plantings, where it goes very well with sage, speedwell, phlox, rudbeckia, catnip, aconite, cereals, gaillardia, yarrow, and astilbe of contrasting color.

In other areas

Monarda is a long-flowering honey plant. Its bright, beautiful flowers attract bees and butterflies to the garden, while repelling harmful insects.

Monarda flowers and stems retain their attractive appearance even when dried. These flowers can be used to make winter herbariums and compositions of dried flowers.

Classification

Monarda (lat. Monarda) is a genus of plants of the Lamiaceae family, which includes 20 species of annual or perennial herbs. The most common perennial species found in gardens are: Monarda didyma (Monarda didyma), Monarda fistulosa (Monarda citriodora).

Botanical description

Monarda is a genus of annual and perennial herbaceous plants. The stem is straight, tetrahedral, branched (sometimes reaching a height of more than 1 meter). The rhizomes are long, growing in all directions. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, slightly pubescent. The edges of the leaves are crenate-toothed. On the shoots they are located oppositely, on short petioles, against each other.

The flowers are small, tubular-funnel-shaped, collected in one or several capitate inflorescences (6-7 cm in diameter), located one above the other along the stem of the peduncle. The flowering period is approximately from the end of June to August, about 50 days. The color of the flowers depends on the type of monarda; they can be white, pink, crimson, red or yellowish. The formula of the monarda flower is ♀○H(5)L(2.3)T2.2P(2) or *H(5)L(5)T5P(2).

The fruits are very small, dry, cracking into 4 nuts. The seeds are small and ripen at the end of August or September, depending on weather conditions. The growing season of the plant lasts almost until the onset of persistent cold snap.

Spreading

In the wild, monarda grows in the forests of eastern North America, and is found on prairies, along roadsides, and wastelands, forming an impressive carpet of summer flowers. In Europe it is grown mainly as a spicy aromatic plant.

Procurement of raw materials

The medicinal raw materials of all types of monarda include the above-ground part of the plant. It is cut at the very beginning of flowering, because it is during this period that the plant has the highest content of essential oil. Dry the cut grass in the shade or in a well-ventilated area. It is better to remove coarse and thick stems immediately so as not to complicate the preparation of infusions and infusions in the future. You should not grind the raw materials too much, so as not to damage the essential oil glands, since when they are damaged, the oil evaporates, and this greatly reduces the quality of the raw materials.

Chemical composition

All above-ground parts of monarda contain up to 3% essential oil, concentrated mainly in the leaves and inflorescences; there is little of it in the stems.

Monarda oil has a light yellow or red-brown color and a sweetish balsamic-lavender odor and consists of substances, the ratio of which depends on the phase of development, origin, population and type of plant. Moreover, the oil of any monarda always contains phenols (thymol, carvacrol, p-cymene), sabinene, cineole, terpinene, limonene, myrcene.

Pharmacological properties

Monarda has a positive effect on the gastrointestinal tract, the activity of the liver and gall bladder, and improves digestion.

The most important property of monarda is the stimulation of cardiac activity and the ability to relieve cardiac neuroses, due to the content of flavonoids and vitamin C in the leaves and flowers. Plant pigments anthocyanins strengthen the capillary walls, dilate the coronary vessels of the heart, and also have a diuretic effect.

Monarda essential oil contains flavonoid substances that have strong antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, the oil is very effective against various pathogens (bacteria, fungi, protozoa, etc.). The activity of its substances is especially valuable against representatives of three genera of mold fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor).

The use of Monarda normalizes the cycle in case of dysfunction in young women.

Due to the high thymol content, juice from fresh leaves promotes wound healing.

In addition, monarda essential oil has reproductive, anti-stress, antioxidant and anti-anemic effects.

Monarda also helps well with flu and colds, as it not only strengthens the immune system, but also helps fight various viruses and microorganisms.

Use in folk medicine

Monarda occupies one of the first places among plants in its bactericidal properties. In folk medicine, it is most often used as a natural antiseptic. For better healing of wounds and in case of skin infections, traditional healers recommend making lotions from freshly squeezed monarda juice. The tincture is used to gargle the throat and mouth for stomatitis and sore throat. Inhalations from monarda leaves are very helpful for diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, bronchial asthma, tracheitis).

Some types of monarda (lat. Monarda didyma) and dotted monarda (lat. Monarda punctata)) were used by the Indians of North America for colds for inhalation, for rheumatism, as a mild laxative, antimicrobial, antispasmodic for spasms and colic, and also as a remedy that improves local blood circulation.

The Indians noticed the antiseptic properties of monarda: the fresh leaves of the plant were used to treat wounds and skin infections, and the plant tincture was used to gargle and mouth, heal teeth and gums, for headaches and fever, and also as a general stimulant and carminative. Oswego tea made from monarda leaves was also used by American Indians to treat and prevent headaches and colds.

Monarda essential oil is used in folk medicine to treat burns, eczema, and hair loss. For treatment, not only pure essential oil is used, but also infusion, juice and pulp from leaves and inflorescences.

Historical reference

Monarda was brought to Spain after Columbus discovered a new continent, but in Europe they learned about the plant only 85 years later. The physician Nicholas Monardes wrote the books “Good News from the New World” (1569) and “Medical History of Western India” (1580). In these books, monarda was called “Canadian oregana” and “Verginian oregana”. Two hundred years later, Carl Linnaeus named this genus of plants in honor of H. Monardes and included Monarda in his classification of species (“Species of Plants,” 1753).

In Europe and Asia, monarda began to be grown as an essential oil plant, as it has a varied bouquet of strong aromas (mint, lemon, etc.). In the 19th century, monarda was already cultivated under the names: bergamot (for the similarity of smell), Oswego tea (the Oswego Indians prepared medicinal tea from monarda), bee balm, fragrant balm, American lemon balm, Indian feather, mountain balsam, lemon balm.

Literature

1. Vermeulen N. “Annual flowers. Illustrated encyclopedia” Labyrinth, 2003

2. Muravyova D. A. Tropical and subtropical medicinal plants. - M.: Medicine, 1983.

3. Zamyatina, N. G. Robinson's Kitchen. Recipes for dishes made from wild plants and flowers. - Moscow: Tsentrpoligraf, 2015.

This herbaceous perennial plant has been known since ancient times - the Indians used it as a seasoning and medicine. The fragrant monarda came to our country at the end of the 19th century and was initially used only as an ornamental plant. Today it is added to food, used to treat various diseases and the body and strengthen the immune system.

Photo by Shutterstock

Monarda is a herbaceous perennial plant that can grow up to 1 meter. Its value as a vegetable crop lies in the fact that it retains its greenness from March to November, even with light frosts. Monarda is often used simply as an ornamental plant, blooming beautifully in July-August. Depending on the variety, monarda can have inflorescences of red, white, pink and purple.

Useful properties and uses of monarda

Monarda contains a high content of essential oils, various biologically active elements, compounds, as well as vitamins C, B1 and B2. Due to this composition, this plant is widely used in homeopathy.

Monarda essential oil is especially valued because it has a broad-spectrum bactericidal effect. It effectively relieves inflammation and spasms, removes carcinogens and strengthens the immune system. It is often used for 1st-3rd degree burns and eczema, chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma.

For fractures or eczema, it is recommended to rub an oil composition of 5 drops of monarda essential oil, 15 ml of wheat germ oil and 2-3 drops of lavender into the damaged area

In addition, monarda essential oil has reproductive, anti-stress, antioxidant and anti-anemic effects. It also acts as a natural blood preservative that promotes the engraftment of foreign tissue. And the unique properties of this plant make it possible, with its regular consumption, to cleanse the aorta of atherosclerotic plaques.

Monarda is also one of the few plants that treats radiation sickness and effectively protects against radiation. In addition, it is recommended for use after chemotherapy. In the latter case, monarda essential oil can be added in small quantities to tea. A light massage using essential oils of monarda, tea tree oil, lavender, rosewood and grape seed oil is also helpful.

In case of oncology, Monarda should be used only after consultation with your doctor.

This useful plant is also good for flu and colds, as it not only strengthens the immune system, but also helps fight various viruses and microorganisms. To do this, you can add essential oil or fresh herbs of this fragrant plant to tea. In addition, for colds, it is recommended to use an aroma lamp or inhalation with monarda essential oil.

Monarda enhances the effect of antibiotics, which allows you to reduce their dose

Indications for the use of monarda also include cystitis, otitis, indigestion, sinusitis or pneumonia. It is recommended for use in anemia, atherosclerosis, tuberculosis, psoriasis. This plant also helps fight worms, oral diseases, and headaches. It is especially useful to use lemon monarda, which contains a high content of thymol, a strong antiseptic.

Thanks to its unusual pleasant taste and fragrant aroma, monarda is often used as an additional ingredient in the preparation of various dishes. Thus, fresh greens of this plant are added to salads, okroshka, cabbage soup, borscht and soups. It adds flavor to jelly and compote, pear and apple jam, and fruit jelly. Monarda greens can also be used to prepare delicious seasonings for fish and vegetable dishes - it goes well with mint, basil, oregano, tarragon and fennel. In sweet dishes, monarda can be combined with orange zest, lemon balm, cloves and cinnamon.

Photo by Shutterstock

In addition, monarda effectively fights various fungal microorganisms. To get rid of foot or nail fungus, for example, you need to lubricate the affected area with a small amount of monarda essential oil, leave for 1-2 hours, and then rinse with water. Aroma lamps or a weak solution with monarda essential oil will also help get rid of mold in the house for a long time.

This plant is often used in cosmetology; Monarda is included in anti-aging creams. And lovers of natural skin care products can use the essential oil of this plant against acne and to care for oily skin. In this case, 15–20 drops of oil must be diluted in a liter of water, and then wipe the face with this solution.

Harm of monarda and contraindications to its use

It is no coincidence that Monarda is called one of the most useful plants, but if consumed excessively, even such a miraculous remedy can cause harm to health. Contraindications to the use of Monarda are pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is also not recommended to give it to children under 5 years of age or to use aroma lamps with monarda essential oil in rooms where there are small children or pregnant women.