Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Melissa officinalis
-
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
4-9
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
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Asthma
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
Insignificant
No
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Erosion control, Wildlife
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Whole plant
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 for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
River Birch
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
River Birch
In German
Lemonbalm
Fluss Birch
In French
mélisse
Birch river
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
river Birch
In Greek
Lemonbalm
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
river Birch
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Rzeka Birch
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Family
Lamiaceae
Betulaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Season and Care of Lemonbalm and River Birch
Season and care of Lemonbalm and River Birch is important to know. While considering everything about Lemonbalm and River Birch Care, growing season is an essential factor. Lemonbalm season is Spring, Summer and Fall and River Birch season is Spring, Summer and Fall. The type of soil for Lemonbalm is Loam, Sand and for River Birch is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Lemonbalm is Neutral and for River Birch is Acidic, Neutral.
Lemonbalm and River Birch Physical Information
Lemonbalm and River Birch physical information is very important for comparison. Lemonbalm height is 30.50 cm and width 45.70 cm whereas River Birch height is 1,220.00 cm and width 1,220.00 cm. The color specification of Lemonbalm and River Birch are as follows:
Lemonbalm flower color: White and Light Pink
Lemonbalm leaf color: Green and Light Green
River Birch flower color: Yellow and Brown
- River Birch leaf color: Green and Light Green
Care of Lemonbalm and River Birch
Care of Lemonbalm and River Birch include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Lemonbalm pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers and Remove dead leaves and River Birch pruning is done Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Shape and thin as needed. In summer Lemonbalm needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer River Birch needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.