Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Types
Melissa officinalis
Apricot Queen, August Flame, Autumn Fire
Number of Varieties
58
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Fields, marshes, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-96-11
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, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Orange, Dark Red, Orange Red, Copper, Chocolate, Black
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do not let dry out between waterings, Needs Very high moisture
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
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial 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
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Mosaic potyvirus
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
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Poisonous to grazing animals
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Bog Garden, Water gardening
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
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
Oil is used for aromatherapy
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Bog Garden, Water Gardens, Wildflower
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
IRIS fulva
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Copper iris
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Copper Iris
In German
Lemonbalm
Copper Iris
In French
mélisse
Copper Iris
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Cobre Iris
In Greek
Lemonbalm
χαλκός Iris
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Copper Iris
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Miedź Iris
In Latin
CITRAGO
Iris Copper
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Liliales
Family
Lamiaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Melissa
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
4250
1
27800
👆🏻