Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
India
Types
Melissa officinalis
Green cardamom, Black cardamom
Number of Varieties
5-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Forests, Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
-
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
H1, H2, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm45.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Light Yellow, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Dark Red, Brown, Sienna
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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water
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
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
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
Mosaic viruses, Nematodes, Red blotch, Thripes
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Aphids, Insects
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
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
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, Antioxidants, Aphrodisiac, Cold, Diuretic, Fights Depression
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Pods, Seeds
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Used for its medicinal properties, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
ELETTARIA cardamomum
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Cardamom
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
इलायची
In German
Lemonbalm
Kardamom
In French
mélisse
Cardamome
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Cardamomo
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Κάρδαμο
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Cardamomo
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Kardamon
In Latin
CITRAGO
Cardamom
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Zingiberales
Family
Lamiaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Melissa
Elettaria
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
4376
1
27800
👆🏻