Wild bee balm belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. And like many of its relatives, it has square stems, opposite leaves, and aromatic foliage.
The flowers form shaggy, rounded heads made up of individual tubular blossoms. You'll often find them in sunny prairies, meadows, and open woodland edges throughout much of the Midwest.
And if you're wondering about the name, just watch the flowers for a few minutes. Bees absolutely love this stuff. Butterflies and hummingbirds visit it, too.
It's a pretty good reminder that we aren't the only ones interested in what's growing out there.
That's really what I love about foraging.
You don't have to disappear into the wilderness to find something interesting. Sometimes it's growing beside the path you've traveled a hundred times.
And once you start recognizing the plants around you, an ordinary bike ride becomes something else entirely.
Just don't expect to set any personal speed records.
Curiosity over clickbait. Foraging is free.