First starting to form, appears white:
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Starting to turn purple:
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Monday, April 20, 2015
Summer Wildflowers - Purple Horsemint
This plant has many aliases - Lemon Mint, Lemon Horsemint, Purple Lemon mint, Lemon Beebalm, Horsemint, and more. Basically, it's purple, the leaves produce a lemony scent if crushed, and hummingbirds, bees and butterflies love it. It is native to Texas and grows easily. It can form large colonies and can be aggressive if given optimum growing conditions. The Native Americans used this plant as an antiseptic and in poultices for skin infections and minor wounds. It was also used for headaches, fevers, bronchial ailments and stomach issues including excess flatulence. The leaves can be made into an herbal tea which was then used to treat dental problems like gingivitis. The Native Americans also used it to season wild game, particularly birds. Apparently it tastes like a combination of spearmint, peppermint, and oregano. I may have to test this out - I read that it can be used raw or cooked, so this is tempting to try. Blooms from May to July in sandy loam soil.
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Rachel, when I was a little kid, our family would spend the week ends at the Guadalupe River on a friend's private property. He had a dairy, so we had to tolerate those cows walking near our camp site and leaving those warm, gooey 'patties'. The flies were so awful that sometimes we almost packed up and went home. The farmer who owned the place told us to pick stems of 'horse mint' and place it on our table, around our cots, and near our chairs. Sounded like a tall tale, but we were ready to try anything....and guess what? It works. So if the house flies, horse flies, no-see-ems and such start to bother you, put a few stems in your back pocket or shirt pocket...Polly
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