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Well, let me tell ya ’bout this Monarda Didyma Jacob Cline Bee Balm thing, or whatever them fancy folks call it. I just call it “that red flower” ’cause, well, it’s red, ya know?
First off, it grows real tall, like taller than my grandson Billy when he stands on a bucket. They say it gets to be three to five feet tall. That’s a lot of feet, I tell ya. And it spreads out too, like gossip in a small town. Two or three feet wide they say. Means you gotta give it some room to breathe, like us old folks need our space.
Now, where to plant it? Sun or part sun, that’s what they say. Sun’s good, but too much sun can burn ya, just like it can burn these flowers, I reckon. Part sun is fine too, like under a tree, but not too shady. They need some light to grow big and strong, just like my chickens need sunlight to lay good eggs.
And the dirt? Well, it likes that moist dirt, ya know, not too dry. But it ain’t too picky, it’ll grow in clay, sand, even wet dirt. That’s good, ‘cause my garden ain’t always perfect, dirt-wise. Sometimes it’s too wet, sometimes it’s too dry, it’s a whole mess sometimes, I tell ya. But this “red flower,” it seems to handle it all just fine.
This Jacob Cline thing, it’s a real show-off, I tell ya. Lots and lots of big, red flowers. Not little tiny ones, big ones, like the size of a… well, like the size of a big bug, maybe. And they’re red, real red, like a fire truck or a ripe tomato. Pretty, I guess, if you like that sort of thing. I like things that grow good and don’t give me too much trouble.
Now, some folks say this plant is good for your stomach. They say it can help with gas and other tummy troubles. I don’t know about all that. I just drink some peppermint tea when my stomach hurts. But hey, if you wanna try it, go ahead. Just don’t go eatin’ somethin’ you don’t know about for sure. I always say “Better safe than sorry”. It’s also supposed to make ya pee more, if you got that problem. I ain’t got that problem, thank the Lord.
They also call it Oswego tea and bergamot, these fancy names, I tell ya. But it’s all the same plant, far as I can tell. Just like how folks call me different things, Mrs. Johnson, Grandma, that old lady down the street, but I’m still the same me.
This plant, it comes from eastern North America, they say. That means it’s one of us, a good ol’ American plant. Not one of them fancy foreign flowers that cost a fortune and die the first time you look at ’em wrong. This one’s tough, it can handle itself.
It’s part of the mint family, which is interesting, I reckon. I like mint, it smells nice and you can make tea out of it. This bee balm don’t smell like mint to me, not really. It’s got its own smell, kinda strong, kinda flowery. The bees like it, that’s for sure. They buzz around it all day long, happy as can be.
- Planting: Give it some room, sun or part sun, moist dirt is best but it ain’t too picky.
- Growing: Gets real tall, spreads out, lots of red flowers.
- Using: Some folks say it’s good for your stomach, but I just stick to peppermint tea.
So, there ya have it, all I know about this Monarda Didyma Jacob Cline Bee Balm. It’s a pretty red flower that grows tall, likes the sun and moist dirt, and the bees love it. And maybe, just maybe, it’ll help your stomach too. But don’t take my word for it, I ain’t no doctor.
If ya want somethin’ pretty and easy to grow, give it a try. Just don’t blame me if it doesn’t work out. Gardening ain’t always easy, but it’s worth it when you see them flowers bloom.
Tags: [Monarda Didyma, Jacob Cline, Bee Balm, Oswego Tea, Bergamot, Red Flowers, Garden Plants, North American Native, Medicinal Plants, Easy to Grow]
