Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial, Shrub
Herbs
Origin
Northwestern United States, Canada
Southern Europe
Types
sharpleaf penstemon, white-margined beardtongue, lowland beardtongue
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
785
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
foothill woods, High elevation, Open areas, Rocky areas
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15
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
Mat-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.72 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
40.64 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Narrow and lance shape
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
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
Needs less watering, Requires regular watering, Water occasionally
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Bees
Allergy
Asthma, Pollen
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Wildlife
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Recovering internal injuries, Wounds
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Container, Used as Ornamental plant, Veterinarian 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 Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Alpine, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON fruticosus 'Purple Haze'
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Bush Penstemon, Shrubby Penstemon
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Bush Penstemon
नींबू बाम
In German
Bush Penstemon
Lemonbalm
In French
Bush Penstemon
mélisse
In Spanish
Bush Penstemon
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Μπους Penstemon
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Bush, Penstemon
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Bush Penstemon
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Persicaria Bush
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Lamiales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
2504
1
27800
👆🏻