bee balm
- noun
- /bi bɑlm/
- US
- The bee balm stalks are reappearing.
- flowers, especially bee balm
Bergamot or also called bee balm is all over the place.
- Bergamot or also called bee balm is all over the place.
- These are plants like asparagus, this here bee balm.
Examples
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I have foxgloves behind hostas, which clearly would aggravate some, and an area with bee balm, lemon balm, horseradish, and high grasses.
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During the summer, bee balm adds a splash of color to gardens with its aromatic flowers and fragrant leaves.
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Bergamot or also called bee balm is all over the place.
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I went into the backyard and for under two minutes, admired a Rose of Sharon tree and a patch of bee-balm buzzing with bumblebees.
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By the by, I ordered some seeds from you in the spring—bee balm and woodland tobacco.
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If you want to attract pollinators to your garden, try planting bee balm, as its vibrant flowers are very appealing to bees and butterflies.
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In herbal medicine, bee balm has been used for centuries for its soothing properties and is often brewed into a tea.
Synonyms
A garden herb with bright tube-shaped flowers that attract bees and butterflies
A scented herb with bright flowers that attracts bees and hummingbirds
A plant that lives for several years with fragrant, bright flowers that attract bees
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is compositionally built from 'bee' + 'balm', so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a balm-like thing associated with bees — plausibly a plant or a soothing product. However, the specific botanical sense (a particular North American herb, Monarda) is lexicalized and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so comprehension is only partial without prior exposure.
Etymology
Bee balm may come from the bright flowers and strong smell that draw bees and butterflies, and from balm, a word for a plant used as a 'soothing' or 'healing' herb. That's why bee balm today means a fragrant garden herb often used in teas and loved by bees and butterflies.