Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Melissa officinalis
Red Malabar Spinach, Green Malabar Spinach
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
-9999
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
H1, H2, 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
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Red, Green, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
White, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Heart-shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
-
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do not let dry out between waterings, Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Yes
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Folate, Iron, Low calories, Low Fats, Rich in Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
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 Food
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
BASELLA alba
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Ceylon Spinach, Malabar Spinach, Red Malabar Spinach
In German
Lemonbalm
Malabarspinat
In French
mélisse
L’épinard de Malabar
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
espinaca de Malabar
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Malabar Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Malabar espinafre
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Szpinak Malabar
In Latin
CITRAGO
Spinach Malabar
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Lamiaceae
Basellaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Season and Care of Lemonbalm and Malabar Spinach
Season and care of Lemonbalm and Malabar Spinach is important to know. While considering everything about Lemonbalm and Malabar Spinach Care, growing season is an essential factor. Lemonbalm season is Spring, Summer and Fall and Malabar Spinach season is Spring, Summer and Fall. The type of soil for Lemonbalm is Loam, Sand and for Malabar Spinach is Clay, Loam while the PH of soil for Lemonbalm is Neutral and for Malabar Spinach is Neutral.
Lemonbalm and Malabar Spinach Physical Information
Lemonbalm and Malabar Spinach physical information is very important for comparison. Lemonbalm height is 30.50 cm and width 45.70 cm whereas Malabar Spinach height is 2.40 cm and width 24.00 cm. The color specification of Lemonbalm and Malabar Spinach are as follows:
Lemonbalm flower color: White and Light Pink
Lemonbalm leaf color: Green and Light Green
Malabar Spinach flower color: Red, Green and Orange Red
- Malabar Spinach leaf color: Green and Light Green
Care of Lemonbalm and Malabar Spinach
Care of Lemonbalm and Malabar Spinach include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Lemonbalm pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers and Remove dead leaves and Malabar Spinach pruning is done Remove damaged leaves and Remove dead leaves. In summer Lemonbalm needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Malabar Spinach needs Average Water and in winter, it needs Average Water.