Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
India
Types
Melissa officinalis
Dianthus chinensis, Dianthus deltoides
Number of Varieties
5300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
meadows, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-11
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
A2, A3, H1, 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
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm25.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Pink, Fuchsia
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial 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
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs watering once a week, 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, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
Compost, organic fertlizers, Water soluble fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Butterflies, Insects
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, 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
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
DIANTHUS
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Dianthus, Garden Spice Fuchsia Dianthus
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Dianthus
In German
Lemonbalm
Dianthus
In French
mélisse
Dianthus
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Dianthus
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Dianthus
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Dianthus
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Dianthus
In Latin
CITRAGO
Dianthus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Lamiaceae
Caryophyllaceae
Genus
Melissa
Dianthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Caryophylleae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Caryophylloideae
Number of Species
4300
1
27800
👆🏻