What are these??

[Finally Home]

Have these growing wild out back along the wood line.  Many species of bees and butterflies are enjoying them.  Couldn't find a picture in any of our books.  Anyone have an idea of what they are??  They have small flowers under each layer of leaves.

 

[tbonekel]

Where are you located? I'm going to go with horsemint. I hear honey from horsemint is something to behold.

[Finally Home]

Northwest Indiana.  The woods are pretty much all black locust if that makes a difference.  I know it does for the honey

[Beeboy]

I have some of those and wondered what they where. I have never seen a bee on them though.

[Finally Home]

We've got the honey bees, bumble bees, about 3 other types I'm not sure of and butterflies.  Not heavily populated but have some all day long on them. 

[tecumseh]

looks like horse mint..... is the stem of the plant square?  makes a fantastic crop of honey here and gives a slight minty tang to the honey which everyones seems to like.  although I rarely see bees on the plant (there are flowers underneath the leaves all along the stem) quite often I see evidence of this plant in the hive where the field bees will have lightly painted streaks down their backs < I have had several novice bee keeper see this during an inspection and think it is evidence of some problem.  here in Texas there are two varieties of this one that is a softer pail green and purple color (that one is common here) and another variety that is very purple (and is more common as you drive west of here). 

[Finally Home]

Yes the stem is square.  Some patch's are more white and some more purple.  Haven't paid much attention to see if maybe as they get bigger the color differs.  Will have to pay closer attention on next inspection to see if I notice any markings on the bees from the plant.  They do squeeze between the leaves to get at the flowers as you can see in the first photo.
I appreciate everyone's help.  We'll see if we can taste it in the next harvest. 

[lazy shooter]

That is horse mint, and it is sometimes called lemon mint.  Strip a few of the leaves off and smell it.  it has a nice mint smell.  Tec is correct on the coloring.  I live in West Texas and my horse mint is a dark purple.  The bees love it.  In our area, it blooms in late spring, but in a dry year it very well may bloom in the summer dearth if a rain comes in July.  I wish I had a hundred acres of it.  Oh, and it blooms for several weeks.

[tecumseh]

I have also heard it referred to as bee balm.

[Finally Home]

Thanks everyone   

[riverbee]

great photo fin!  yes, as tec said 'bee blam', monarda or mint family and the honey does have a mint flavor to it. bees love it as lazy shooter said.  i like to harvest the honey from the bee balm/mint plants separately if i can, or place frames in for comb honey just for this bloom.

[Beeboy]

I have these all over my place and have yet to see a bee on them. I love how they smell and only imagine what the honey would taste like.

[rcannon]

Yup. Horsemint.