Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Herbs
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Southern Europe
Types
Ilex glabra, Ilex crenata, Ilex verticillata
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
35
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Lowland, Mountains, Subtropical climates, Suburban areas
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 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
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 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
Fruit Color
Black
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, 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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water more in summer, Water when soil is dry
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
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Shape and thin as needed
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees
Allergy
-
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
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
Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea
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
Mixed Border, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
ILEX glabra
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
American Pokeweed, Inkberry, Silberstein American Pokeweed
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Inkberry
नींबू बाम
In German
Inkberry
Lemonbalm
In French
Inkberry
mélisse
In Spanish
Inkberry
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Inkberry
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Inkberry
Lemonbalm
In Polish
inkberry
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Inkberry
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Aquifoliales
Lamiales
Family
Phytolaccaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Ilex
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
6004
1
27800
👆🏻