BEE BALM, Hi there! Or Bergamot If I Want To Be Fancy.

I passed these gorgeous flowers twice in Central Park and couldn’t even give them a proper hello without knowing their names, but a FB friend identified the flower through my photo.  Now I’ll never forget it. The leaves, crushed, have a bitter smell. Native Americans used poultices of this plant for skin infections and minor wounds. A tisane was used to treat mouth and gum infections. (Hope I’m not spoiling the mystique of Bee Balm by telling you this.)