Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southern Europe
Mexico
Types
Melissa officinalis
Opuntia ficus-indica
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
8-12
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
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Globe shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Medium
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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 flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Attracts
Bees
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Yes
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Biomass for fuel, Employed in herbal medicine, Fine spines and trichomes are used as fiber for weaving, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Lemonbalm
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
mélisse
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
CITRAGO
Opuntia ficus-indica
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Lamiaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Melissa
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Opuntioideae
Importance of Lemonbalm and Barbary Fig
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Lemonbalm and Barbary Fig. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Lemonbalm and Barbary Fig as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Lemonbalm is Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia and Sedative whereas of Barbary Fig is Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea and Hangover. Lemonbalm has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin and Skin Problems while Barbary Fig has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin and Skin Problems.
Compare Facts of Lemonbalm vs Barbary Fig
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Lemonbalm vs Barbary Fig and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Lemonbalm are Avoid during Pregnancy and Skin irritation whereas of Barbary Fig have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Lemonbalm has no showy fruits and Barbary Fig has showy fruits. Also Lemonbalm is not flowering and Barbary Fig is not flowering . You can compare Lemonbalm and Barbary Fig facts and facts of other plants too.