Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Herbs
Origin
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean
Southern Europe
Types
Astrophytum ornatum, Echinocactus grusonii, Echinocactus grusonii
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
65
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 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
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Orange
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Lemon yellow
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water frequently
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
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
Showy
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
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
-
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
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, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
FEROCACTUS
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
barrel cactus
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
barrel cactus
नींबू बाम
In German
Fass-Kaktus-
Lemonbalm
In French
Barrel cactus
mélisse
In Spanish
biznaga
Lemonbalm
In Greek
βαρέλι κάκτος
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Barrel cactus
Lemonbalm
In Polish
cactus Barrel
Lemonbalm
In Latin
cactus
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Lamiales
Family
Cactaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Ferocactus
Melissa
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
104
1
27800
👆🏻