Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Herbs
Origin
Southern Africa, South Africa
Southern Europe
Types
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
255
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
marshes, Sandy flats, Slopes
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-104-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-7
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
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Orange, Gold
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green, Yellow green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Several shades of Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
-
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Bulbs, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Reduce watering in winter, Water three times weekly in summer
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to control growth, prune to control shape, Prune to stimulate growth
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
-
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Insects, pollinators
Bees
Allergy
Skin irritation, Skin rash, Toxic
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cut Flowers, Showy Purposes, Used as an interior landscaping species, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for Landscaping
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, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Chincherinchee, Wonder-flower, Star-of-Bethlehem
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Chincherinchee
नींबू बाम
In German
Kap-Milchstern
Lemonbalm
In French
Chincherinchee
mélisse
In Spanish
Chincherinchee
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Chinkerinchee
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Chincherinchee,
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Chincherinchee
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Lamiales
Family
Asparagaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Ornithogalum
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Ornithogaleae
-
Subfamily
Scilloideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
1804
1
27800
👆🏻