Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Herbs
Origin
-
Southern Europe
Types
Herb
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
205
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Grassland, Hillside, meadows
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink, Lavender
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Purple
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Purple
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Stem Planting
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Do not prune during shooting season, Prune regularly, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees
Allergy
-
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
constipation, Diarrhea, Headache, Kidney problems, Stomach pain
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for fragrance
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
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
OCIMUM 'African Blue'
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
African Blue Basil, Hybrid Basil
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
अफ्रीकी ब्लू तुलसी
नींबू बाम
In German
African Blue Basilikum
Lemonbalm
In French
Bleu basilic africaine
mélisse
In Spanish
Albahaca azul africana
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Αφρικής Μπλε βασιλικό
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Africano manjericão azul
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Afrykański Niebieski bazylią
Lemonbalm
In Latin
अफ्रीकी ब्लू तुलसी
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Lamiales
Family
Lamiaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Ocimum
Melissa
Clade
Basal Tricolpates
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
14
1
27800
👆🏻