Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Eastern Europe
Types
Melissa officinalis
Iris
Number of Varieties
525
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Terrestrial
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
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
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Yellow, Lavender, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water
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
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
-
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Alpine, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
IRIS pumila
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Dwarf Iris
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Dwarf Iris
In German
Lemonbalm
Zwergiris
In French
mélisse
Dwarf Iris
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Enano Iris
In Greek
Lemonbalm
νάνος Ίρις
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Dwarf Iris
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Dwarf Iris
In Latin
CITRAGO
Iris Dwarf
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Liliales
Family
Lamiaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Melissa
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
4300
1
27800
👆🏻