Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Herbs
Origin
Europe
Southern Europe
Types
-
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
155
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Pastures, Woodlands
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-1
Sunset Zone
A2, 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
45.70 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Brown
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
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
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?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune regularly, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Japanese Beetles
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees
Allergy
belching, bloating, Diarrhea, Digestive Problems, gas, gastro-intestinal problems, Headache, Nausea
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Demulcent, Diuretic, Emollient, Fever, Kidney problems, Pulmonary afflictions
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Seeds
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used for its medicinal properties
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
BORAGO officinalis
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Borage, starflower
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Borage
नींबू बाम
In German
Borretsch
Lemonbalm
In French
Bourrache
mélisse
In Spanish
borraja
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Borage
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Borragem
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Ogórecznik
Lemonbalm
In Latin
borage
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Lamiales
Family
Boraginaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Borago
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
1504
1
27800
👆🏻