Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Biennials
Origin
Southern Europe
India, Philippines, Southeast Asia
Types
Melissa officinalis
Lagenaria siceraria
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Moist Soils, Tropical Climate
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
5-7
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
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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
Vining/Climbing
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Yellow, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires watering in the growing season, water on alternate days
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove branches that rub together, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
High potassium diluted feed of 5-10-5, Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Leaf rust, Red spider mite, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Decorating walls, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Anti-ageing, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Yes
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Anti-fungal, Blood disorders, Culinary Usage, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Laxative, Nutritive, Weight loss
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
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Repellent, Used in making musical instruments
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
Lagenaria siceraria
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
calabash, bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, opo squash
In German
Lemonbalm
Flaschenkürbis
In French
mélisse
Lagenaria siceraria
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Lagenaria siceraria
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Τσότρα
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Cabaça
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Tykwa pospolita
In Latin
CITRAGO
utrem cucurbita
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Cucurbitales
Family
Lamiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Papilionoideae
Importance of Lemonbalm and Bottle Gourd
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Lemonbalm and Bottle Gourd. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Lemonbalm and Bottle Gourd 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 Bottle Gourd is Anti-fungal, Blood disorders, Culinary Usage, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Laxative, Nutritive and Weight loss. Lemonbalm has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin and Skin Problems while Bottle Gourd has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin and Skin Problems.
Compare Facts of Lemonbalm vs Bottle Gourd
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 Bottle Gourd 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 Bottle Gourd have Hypoglycaemic Coma and Irregular Heart Rhythm respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Lemonbalm has no showy fruits and Bottle Gourd has showy fruits. Also Lemonbalm is not flowering and Bottle Gourd is not flowering . You can compare Lemonbalm and Bottle Gourd facts and facts of other plants too.