Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Shrub
Origin
Southern Europe
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Types
Melissa officinalis
Red chokeberry, Purple chokeberry
Number of Varieties
53
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Anthropogenic, Boggy areas, Cliffs, Fens, Swamps, Terrestrial, Wet lands, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-93-8
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
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7
Habit
Clump-Forming
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm182.88 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm182.88 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
Purplish-black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune after flowering, Remove branches that rub together, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove diseased branches by the tool's blades dipped into the alcohol solution
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
10-10-10, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
-
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Anaphylaxis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Food for birds, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
anti-cancer, Antioxidants, Cold
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Pectin
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
ARONIA melanocarpa
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Black Chokeberry
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Black Chokeberry Shrub
In German
Lemonbalm
Schwarz Aronia Strauch
In French
mélisse
Noir Chokeberry Arbuste
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Chokeberry negro Arbusto
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Μαύρο Chokeberry θάμνων
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Chokeberry preto Arbusto
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Krzew aronii
In Latin
CITRAGO
Lichen Frutex
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Rosales
Family
Lamiaceae
Rosaceae
Genus
Melissa
Aronia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Maleae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Amygdaloideae
Number of Species
43
1
27800
👆🏻