Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Southern Asia
Types
Melissa officinalis
African iris, Large wild iris, Cape iris
Number of Varieties
56
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Coastal Regions, Forest margins, Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-99-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-10
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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm70.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm50.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White, Yellow, Blue, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Water more in summer
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
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
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads, Remove short twigs, Remove wet foliage
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
Apply N-P-K
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Butterflies, Flying insects, Insects
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Borders, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Insignificant
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification, soil stabilisation, Windbreak
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
Screen, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Bedding Plant, Bog Garden, Container, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
DIETES grandiflora
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Butterfly Iris
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
तितली आइरिस प्लांट
In German
Lemonbalm
Schmetterling Iris Pflanzen
In French
mélisse
Papillon Iris Plante
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Planta del iris de la mariposa
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Πεταλούδα Iris Φυτών
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Borboleta da planta Iris
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Butterfly Iris Roślin
In Latin
CITRAGO
Gloria Iris Planta
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Liliales
Family
Lamiaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Melissa
Dietes Salisb
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
4260
1
27800
👆🏻