Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Herbs
Origin
Southern Africa
Southern Europe
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
205
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 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
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
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
Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
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
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees
Allergy
Toxic
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
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
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Carissia
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Carissa
नींबू बाम
In German
carissa
Lemonbalm
In French
carissa
mélisse
In Spanish
carissa
Lemonbalm
In Greek
carissa
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
carissa
Lemonbalm
In Polish
carissa
Lemonbalm
In Latin
carissa
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Lamiales
Family
Apocynaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Carissa
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Carisseae
-
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
1004
1
27800
👆🏻