Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
China, Japan
Types
Melissa officinalis
Lespedeza davurica, Lespedeza davidii, Lespedeza caraganae
Number of Varieties
540
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Fields, meadows, Terrestrial
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
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Clump-Forming
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm243.84 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm243.84 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Rose, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Sea Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Compound
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings, Semi-hardwood cuttings
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, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
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 in early spring, Prune in late winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
Apply 12-12-12 amounts
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Rash, Skin rash
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
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Groundcover, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
LESPEDEZA thunbergii
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Thunberg's bushclover, Thunberg's lespedeza, and shrub lespedeza
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Bush Clover Shrub
In German
Lemonbalm
Bush Clover Strauch
In French
mélisse
Bush Clover Arbuste
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Bush Clover arbusto
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Μπους Τριφύλλι θάμνων
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Trevo de arbusto Arbusto
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Bush Clover Krzew
In Latin
CITRAGO
Trifolium Frutex Bush
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Fabales
Family
Lamiaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Melissa
Lespedeza
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Desmodieae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Faboideae
Number of Species
440
1
27800
👆🏻