Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Europe
Southern Asia
Types
Melissa officinalis
Savoy, Giant Noble, Semi-savoy
Number of Varieties
53
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Fields, gardens, meadows, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
-
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
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Yellow, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Tan, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full 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
Fertilize when new
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Downy mildew, Leafminers, Red blotch, Seedcorn maggot
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Cold climate, Drought
Flowers
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
-
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Food Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
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
Energy, Potassium, Rich in Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves, Stem
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 for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
SPINACIA oleracea
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Spinach
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
पालक
In German
Lemonbalm
Spinat
In French
mélisse
Épinards
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Espinacas
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Σπανάκι
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Espinafre
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Szpinak
In Latin
CITRAGO
Spinach
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Lamiaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Melissa
Spinacia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Anserineae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Chenopodioideae
Number of Species
4800
1
27800
👆🏻