Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Cactus or Succulent, Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Melissa officinalis
Dasylirion wheeleri
Number of Varieties
525
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Desert, Dry areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-912-15
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
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm270.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
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
Green, Blue Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Insects, Red blotch
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
-
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification, Landscape Designing, 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
Nutrients
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves
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 Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
DASYLIRION
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Spoon flower, Common sotol
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
डेजर्ट चम्मच
In German
Lemonbalm
Esslöffel
In French
mélisse
Desert cuillère
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Desierto cuchara
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Desert κουτάλι
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
colher Desert
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Desert łyżka
In Latin
CITRAGO
cochleari deserto
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asparagales
Family
Lamiaceae
Agavaceae
Genus
Melissa
Dasylirion
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Nolinoideae
Number of Species
420
1
27800
👆🏻