Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Herbs
Origin
Europe
Southern Europe
Types
-
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
55
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Moist Soils
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-104-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-3
12-1
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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
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
15.20 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.70 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Sienna, Black
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
White, Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
White, Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
White, Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Do not water the foliage, Keep the Soil well drained
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
8-8-8, since leafy plants, use higher nitrogen content fertilizer
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Beetles, Cabbage looper, Downy mildew, Fusarium leaf spot, Rust
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Full Sun, Humidity, Shallow soil
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
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Caterpillar, Mites
Bees
Allergy
Diarrhea, Dizziness, Nausea
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Hair Conditioner, Skin cleanser
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Anti-oxidant, Digestion problems, Eliminate toxins, Nutritive, Obesity, Rich in Potassium
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Sauces, Used to promote healthy blood flow during menstruation
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, Herb / Vegetable, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
BRASSICA rapa( Chinensis Group)
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Bok Choy, Chinese Cabbage, Choy Sum, Pak Choi
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
choy sum
नींबू बाम
In German
choy sum
Lemonbalm
In French
choy sum
mélisse
In Spanish
choy sum
Lemonbalm
In Greek
choy sum
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
choy sum
Lemonbalm
In Polish
choy sum
Lemonbalm
In Latin
choy sum
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Capparales
Lamiales
Family
Brassicaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Brassica
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
184
1
27800
👆🏻