Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit, Shrub
Herbs
Origin
South America
Southern Europe
Types
V. × heilbornii
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
05
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Palmate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Vegetative Reproduction
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove shoots
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees
Allergy
-
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Digestive disorders
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used in making champagne
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Babaco
नींबू बाम
In German
Babaco
Lemonbalm
In French
Babaco
mélisse
In Spanish
Babaco
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Babaco
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Babaco
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Babaco
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Babaco
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Brassicales
Lamiales
Family
Caricaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Vasconcellea
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
14
1
27800
👆🏻