Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
South Africa
Types
Melissa officinalis
Asteraceae
Number of Varieties
525
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
gardens
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
6-1
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
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 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm20.30 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Light Purple, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Gray Green, Silver
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Elliptic, toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
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
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Caterpillars, Root rot, Spider mites, Stem rot, Whiteflies
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
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
Air freshner, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
OSTEOSPERMUM 'Aksullo'
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
African daisy, Blue-eyed daisy
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Cape Daisy
In German
Lemonbalm
Cape Daisy
In French
mélisse
Cape Daisy
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Margarita del Cabo
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Cape Daisy
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Cape Daisy
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Cape Daisy
In Latin
CITRAGO
Cape Daisy
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asterales
Family
Lamiaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Melissa
Osteospermum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Calenduleae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Asteroideae
Number of Species
485
1
27800
👆🏻