Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas
Types
Melissa officinalis
Aralia spinosa
Number of Varieties
51
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Secondary
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-1
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
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White, Green, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Yellow, Green, Purple, Blue Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
bipinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Cuttings, Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs high amount of water
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
Well 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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Leaf spot, Mealybugs
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Borders, Woodland margins
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
Alterative, Analgesic, Diaphoretic, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Bark, Leaves, 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
Used as a potherb
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
ARALIA spinosa
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
American Angelica Tree, Devil's Walking Stick, Hercules' Club
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Devil's Walking Stick
In German
Lemonbalm
Teufelsspazierstock
In French
mélisse
Walking bâton du diable
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Bastón del Diablo
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Περπάτημα Stick διαβόλου
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Vara andando de diabo
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Diabelski laska
In Latin
CITRAGO
Virgam diaboli
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Apiales
Family
Lamiaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Melissa
Aralia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Aralioideae
Number of Species
430
1
27800
👆🏻