Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia
Southern Europe
Types
-
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
35
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Woodlands
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-124-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H2, 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
1,370.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,520.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green, Gray Green
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green, Gray
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Maple shaped
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Salt
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
Water daily during growing season
Medium
In Summer
Moderate
Lots of watering
In Spring
Less Watering
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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
Aphids, Insects
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
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees
Allergy
Nausea, Vomiting
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
For treating wrinkles, Moisturizing, used as a dye
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
Sometimes
Insignificant
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cramps, Dermatitis
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Sauces, Used as firewood
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, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
ALEURITES moluccanus
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Candleberry, Candlenut, Kukui
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Aleurites moluccanus
नींबू बाम
In German
Lichtnussbaum
Lemonbalm
In French
Aleurites moluccana
mélisse
In Spanish
Aleurites moluccanus
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Aleurites moluccanus
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Nogueira-de-iguape
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Nogueira-de-iguape
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Aleurites moluccanus
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Angiosperms
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Euphorbiales
Lamiales
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Aleurites
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Aleuritideae
-
Subfamily
Crotonoideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
504
1
27800
👆🏻