Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, Nepal
Types
Melissa officinalis
Rubber Plant, Rubber Fig
Number of Varieties
560
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
agricultural areas, Along Railroads, Coastal Regions, Forests, Roadsides, Scrubs, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-11
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
H1, H2, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Elliptic to oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune for shortening long shoots
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
don't fertilize in winter
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Mealybugs, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Yellow Leaves
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
-
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Latex
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Making rubber, Making tyres
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
FICUS elastica
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Rubber Plant
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
रबड़ का पौधा
In German
Lemonbalm
Ficus elastica
In French
mélisse
Ficus elastica
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
ficus
In Greek
Lemonbalm
ελαστικός φίκος
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
fábrica de borracha
In Polish
Lemonbalm
gumy roślin
In Latin
CITRAGO
Flexilis herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Rosales
Family
Lamiaceae
Moraceae
Genus
Melissa
Ficus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Ficeae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
4800
1
27800
👆🏻