Herb
Cambridge Scarlet
B tier
Cambridge Scarlet is a classic named red bee balm cultivar—reliable scarlet whorls, mildew-prone in wet summers like many didyma, with full spicy-herbal leaf for tea. A heritage border and culinary ornamental. Harvest leaves before heavy flowering for milder tea. Flowers remain edible accents.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Dried LeafFlower GarnishTea
Traits
Border CulinaryClassicHerbalHeritageNamed ScarletScarletTea Leaf
History
GB
Cambridge Scarlet became a standard named Monarda in European gardens.
Nursery catalogues listed Cambridge Scarlet widely.
Herb gardeners used Cambridge Scarlet for traditional Oswego-style tea.
Despite mildew issues, Cambridge Scarlet stayed in heritage plantings.