Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Herbs
Origin
Argentina, Chile
Southern Europe
Types
-
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
25
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hardwood forests, pine woods
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-1
Sunset Zone
21,22
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
Spreading
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Purple, Rose, Violet, Plum, Black
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Bronze
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Semi-hardwood cuttings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial fruit blotch, Downy mildew, Gall Insects, Mites, Powdery mildew
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Shade areas
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Insects
Bees
Allergy
Hives, inflammation in lips, Sore Throat, Swelling in the face
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Glowing Skin, Good for skin
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for animals, Food for birds
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic, Anodyne, Antirheumatic, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Carminative
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Stem
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
For making oil, For making oil for cosmetics, Medicinal oil, Used as Ornamental plant, 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, Edging, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
Gaultheria procumbens
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Eastern teaberry, checkerberry, American wintergreen
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
boxberry
नींबू बाम
In German
boxberry
Lemonbalm
In French
boxberry
mélisse
In Spanish
boxberry
Lemonbalm
In Greek
boxberry
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
boxberry
Lemonbalm
In Polish
boxberry
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Burning
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Ericales
Lamiales
Family
Ericaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Gaultheria
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Gaultherieae
-
Subfamily
Vaccinioideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
1414
1
27800
👆🏻