Monarda
fistulosa
Wild Bergamot
This member of the mint
family got its name because of the similarity
of its scent to bergamot, which is used to flavor Earl Grey tea. This
magic herb is ruled by Venus,
like many in the mint family, and it is
wonderful for love magic. Try adding some to your bath for love spells.
Its aromatic leaves signify its association with Elemental Air as well,
and it is excellent for purification. Native folks used wild bergamot
medicinally, but what is especially interesting is how they used
this plant in other ways that bear on magical uses. The Cherokee used
it for hysterics and to
induce restful sleep, so consider experimenting with this herb prior to
astral work. The Lakotas chewed it while singing and dancing, and the
Kerest chewed it while hunting; this latter makes me wonder if there is
something in the herb that can assist glamouring. The Crow perfumed
themselves and their clothing with it, and the Cheyenne perfumed their
horses with the leaves. Dakota bachelors wore it in their coats for the
nice smell, and Cheyenne maidens stuffed pillows with it that they used
from puberty until marriage, so this is a young person's herb. The
Kutenai put it on hot rocks to scent the sweat house, and the Cheyenne
combined wild bergamot with pine needles and threw them on hot coals
for
their fragrance. Clearly, this plant has a lot of magical possibilities
for the open-minded witch's garden. Top
This plant is not the same as bergamot, which is in
the citrus
family, or bergamot
mint, which is Mentha citriodora, or orange mint, which is Mentha
citrata. This plant's scent contains some of the same components as in
lemon zest, thyme, mace, pine resin, cardamom,
pennyroyal, and rosemary, so it's got a nice complex scent--lots to
play with here! The scented leaves can be made into tea (esp. good for
colds and
digestion) by adding two teaspoons of dried leaves per cup of boiling
water. The fresh plant parts can be eaten in salads. The fragrant
flowers can be pink or lavender and are good as cut flowers,
can be dried, and
make a nice edible garnish. Wild bergamot likes to grow in "disturbed"
areas, like old fields,
thickets, and
clearings (it's a welcome site along open woodland paths). The
flowers bloom mid-summer through fall and attract
hummingbirds and
butterflies as well as bees. In strong sun, the stems are purple. Wild
bergamot is also known as mint-leaved bergamot, mint-scented bee balm,
oregano de la sierra, and wild oregano. Top
How to Grow Wild Bergamot
Barely cover
seeds to germinate in 10-14 days at room temperature.
Harden off and transplant to full sun or partial shade. It is not that
picky about soil. Thsi North American native plant is a perennial
almost everywhere in the lower 48. It gets up to 48"/1.5m
tall and
20"/.5m wide. It can also reproduce from dividing clumps. You can
harvest the leaves a little at a time or pull up the
whole plant at the end of the season and strip them off. Either
way, allow the leaves to dry out of the sun for two days and then store
as any tea. General
growing info Top
Monarda
fistulosa
Wild Bergamot
200 seeds $3.25
Uses in Witchcraft & Magick:
Love Magic
Elemental Magic
Astral Work
Glamours
Venus Herb
© 2006, 2018
Harold A. Roth; No reproduction without permission