Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Types
Melissa officinalis
-
Number of Varieties
51
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Deciduous forests, Forest margins
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-95-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
8-1
Sunset Zone
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
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm1,830.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm2,130.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Gold, Light Green, Light Yellow, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Light Green, Sienna, Chocolate
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Yellow, Yellow green, Gold
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs very little water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
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 flowers, Remove dead leaves
Cut back all stems to the same height, Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
14-14-14 Fertilizer, Compost, General purpose liquid or granular fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Chestnut Blight
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Birds, Deers
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
conjunctivitis, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Arthritis, Cough, Sore throat, Swelling
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Sap, Wood
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Decorative veneers, flooring, paneling, Used in Furniture, Used in pulpwood and lumber production
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Edible, Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
CASTANEA dentata
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
American Chestnut
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
अमेरिकी शाहबलूत
In German
Lemonbalm
Amerikanische Kastanie
In French
mélisse
Châtaignier d'Amérique
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Castanea dentata
In Greek
Lemonbalm
american καστανιάς
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
castanea americana
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Kasztan amerykański
In Latin
CITRAGO
English castaneis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Fagales
Family
Lamiaceae
Fagaceae
Genus
Melissa
Castanea
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
48
1
27800
👆🏻