Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Herbs
Origin
China, Korea
Southern Europe
Types
llex aculeolata Nakai, Ilex affinis Gardner, Ilex amazonensis Edwin
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
4005
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Dappled Shade
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-94-9
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
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
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
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
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
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 leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
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
-
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Bees
Allergy
Rash, Skin irritation
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, small hedge
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Insignificant
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used for Landscaping, Used for making hedge
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
Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
ILEX cornuta 'Carissa'
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Carissa holly
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Carissa holly plant
नींबू बाम
In German
carissa holly Pflanze
Lemonbalm
In French
Карисса востраліста завод
mélisse
In Spanish
Carissa planta de acebo
Lemonbalm
In Greek
φυτό Carissa πουρνάρια
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
planta Carissa azevinho
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Carissa Holly roślin
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Carissa Holly herba
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Vascular plant
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Aquifoliales
Lamiales
Family
Aquifoliaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Ilex
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
4004
1
27800
👆🏻