Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
Latin America and the Caribbean
Southern Europe
Types
Heliconiaceae
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
1945
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Humid climates, Warmer regions
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 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
Thicket/Colonizing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light 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
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
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, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize every two months
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Insects
Bees
Allergy
Toxic
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Healing
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Root, Seeds
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Florist trade and 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
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Heliconia
नींबू बाम
In German
Heliconia
Lemonbalm
In French
Heliconia
mélisse
In Spanish
Heliconia
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Heliconia
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Heliconia
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Heliconia
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Heliconia
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Lamiales
Family
Heliconiaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Heliconia
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
1984
1
27800
👆🏻