Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Grass
Origin
Southern Europe
China
Types
Melissa officinalis
Bigleaf hydrangea, Hortensia, Smooth hydrangea, Oakleaf hydrangea, Annabelle
Number of Varieties
5100
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Forest edges, Hillside, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
10 - 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
7, 9, 10
Habit
Clump-Forming
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm2.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm3.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Blue, Dark Purple, Light Purple, Red, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green, Lemon yellow, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Cold climate, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Over-head watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
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
Prune to control growth, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Phosphorous
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
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, Flies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Chest tightness, Diarrhea, Dizziness, Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Fever, Kidney problems, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Lawns and Turf
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
EREMOCHLOA ophiuroides
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Centipede Grass
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Hydrangea
In German
Lemonbalm
Hortensie
In French
mélisse
Hortensia
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Hortensia
In Greek
Lemonbalm
υδραγεία
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Hortênsia
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Hortensja
In Latin
CITRAGO
Hibiscus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Embryophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
-
Family
Lamiaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Melissa
Ophiuroides
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Andropogoneae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Sorghum
Number of Species
410
1
27800
👆🏻