Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
North America
Types
Melissa officinalis
Water elm
Number of Varieties
535
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Floodplains, Hillside, stream banks, Swamps, Upland
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-93-9
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm1,830.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Oblique base
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Pollution, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Ample Water
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead branches, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove hanging branches
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
Fertilize every year, fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Bark beetles, Beetles, Borers, Mites, Moth, Red blotch, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
-
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
allergic reaction, Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Landscape Designing
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Absorbs greenhouse gases, Absorbs huge amounts of CO2, Air purification, Food for birds, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Antispasmodic, Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Bark, Stem, Tree trunks, Wood
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 firewood, Used for woodware, Used in biomass, Used in construction, Used in Furniture, Used in paper industry, Used in pulpwood and lumber production, Wood is used for making furniture, Wood is used for ship building, Wood is used fore making tools, Wood is used in construction, Wood log is used in making fences
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
ULMUS americana
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
American Elm
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
अमेरिकी एल्म
In German
Lemonbalm
amerikanische Ulme
In French
mélisse
orme d'Amérique
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
olmo americano
In Greek
Lemonbalm
American Elm
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
olmo americano
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Amerykański wiązu
In Latin
CITRAGO
Latin ulmo
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Rosales
Family
Lamiaceae
Ulmaceae
Genus
Melissa
Ulmus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
440
1
27800
👆🏻