Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Central United States, Canada
Types
Melissa officinalis
Blue ash, Single-leaf ash, Fragrant ash
Number of Varieties
545
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Moist Soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-93-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
7-1
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
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Green, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Yellow, Yellow green, Brown, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs
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, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune in fall, Prune in winter, Prune when plant is dormant, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove short twigs
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Wet Site
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Birds
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Insignificant
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Antirheumatic, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Fever, Gout, Laxative, Ophthalmic, Purgative, Sore Eyes, Sore throat, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Inner Bark, Leaves, Tree trunks
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Basketary, Used as a dye, Used as fuel, Used for woodware
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Shade Trees, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
FRAXINUS nigra
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Black Ash, Brown Ash, Swamp Ash
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Black Ash plant
In German
Lemonbalm
Black Ash Pflanze
In French
mélisse
plante Black Ash
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
planta de negro de Ceniza
In Greek
Lemonbalm
φυτό μαύρη τέφρα
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
planta Black Ash
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Black Ash roślin
In Latin
CITRAGO
Black ash herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Scrophulariales
Family
Lamiaceae
Oleaceae
Genus
Melissa
Fraxinus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Oleeae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
418
1
27800
👆🏻