Practical
Plants

Monarda punctata

Horse Mint

an annual or perennial member of the Monarda genus in the family Labiatae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Genus
Monarda
Life cycle
annual, perennial
Height
0.75 m
Spread
0.4 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - raw or cooked. A strong aromatic taste, they are used as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods, and also as an aromatic tea[2].

Product or use
Condiment
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Horse mint was traditionally taken by several native North American Indian tribes to treat nausea and vomiting, and to encourage perspiration during colds. It was also applied externally as a poultice to treat swellings and rheumatic pains[8]. Nowadays it is used primarily to treat digestive and upper respiratory tract problems[8]. The leaves are carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, rubefacient, stimulant, stomachic and vesicant[11][13][7]. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of flatulence, nausea, indigestion, catarrh in the upper respiratory tract, and to induce sweating and promote urination[11][8]. The herb is principally used externally as a rubefacient, applied as a poultice it helps to lessen the pain of arthritic joints by increasing the flow of blood in the area and thereby hastening the flushing out of toxins[11][8]. The leaves can be harvested before the plant flowers, or they can be harvested with the flowering stems. They can be used fresh or dried[7]. The plant is a rich source of the medicinal essential oil 'thymol', which is antiseptic[11][4][5]. The plant has been commercially cultivated for its essential oil, though this is now produced synthetically[5]. Thymol is also an effective hookworm remedy, but must be ingested in such large quantities that it can prove fatal to the patient[4].

Product or use
Antiseptic
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Emmenagogue
Product or use
Rubefacient
Product or use
Stimulant
Product or use
Stomachic
Product or use
Vesicant

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant has a pleasing aroma and has been hung in the house as an incense[9].

Product or use
Essential
Product or use
Incense

Environment

Range
N. America - Louisiana and Florida, north to Long Island.
Habitat
Dry sandy soils in fields on or near to the coastal plain[12][6].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow mid to late spring in a cold frame. Germination usually takes place within 10 - 40 days at 20°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer. The seed can also be sown in situ in late summer in areas where the winters are not too severe and will produce larger plants. Cuttings of soft basal shoots in spring. Harvest the shoots with plenty of underground stem when they are about 8 - 10cm above the ground. Pot them up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in a cold frame or greenhouse until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. Large divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Easily grown in ordinary garden soil so long as it is not too dry[1][3]. Requires a moist soil and a sunny position[3]. This species prefers a light dry alkaline soil[7]. Plants are hardy to about -10°c[10] and should succeed outdoors in most parts of Britain. A polymorphic species[3]. A good bee plant[3]. Subject to mildew in dry summers[3].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  3. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  4. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2

  5. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2

  6. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

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  7. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3

  8. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

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  10. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-330-37376-5

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  11. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

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  13. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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