Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Eastern Asia, China
Southern Europe
Types
Babylon
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
35
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lake margins, River side, Swamps, Waste areas
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 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
Weeping
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Yellow, Yellow green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Needle like
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, 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
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Rooted stem cutting, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Compost, fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, fertilize in growing season
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Beetles, Caterpillars, Red blotch
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Wet Site
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees
Allergy
Asthma
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Erosion control, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Versatility
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Headache, Sedative, Stomach pain
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Tree trunks
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Showy Purposes, Used as firewood, 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
Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
SALIX babylonica f. tortuosa
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Corkscrew Willow
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
पेंचकश विलो
नींबू बाम
In German
Korkenzieher-Weide
Lemonbalm
In French
Tire-bouchon Willow
mélisse
In Spanish
Tire-bouchon Willow
Lemonbalm
In Greek
τιρμπουσόν Willow
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
corkscrew salgueiro
Lemonbalm
In Polish
korkociąg Willow
Lemonbalm
In Latin
corkscrew Willow
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Lamiales
Family
Salicaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Salix
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Saliceae
-
Subfamily
Salicoideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
354
1
27800
👆🏻