Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Melissa officinalis
Erysimum franciscanum
Number of Varieties
550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
gardens, Grassland, Prairies
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-7
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
4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Pale White, Pale Yellow, Yellow, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Linear
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
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
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, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Cut or pinch the stems, Do not prune during shooting season, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune prior to new growth, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
fungus, 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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification, 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
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Alpine, Container, Edging, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
Erysimum franciscanum
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Franciscan wallflower, San Francisco wallflower
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Franciscan wallflower
In German
Lemonbalm
Franziskaner Mauerblümchen
In French
mélisse
wallflower franciscaine
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
alhelí franciscana
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Φραγκισκανών wallflower
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
wallflower Franciscan
In Polish
Lemonbalm
wallflower Franciszkanów
In Latin
CITRAGO
Francisci Wallflower
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Brassicales
Family
Lamiaceae
Brassicaceae
Genus
Melissa
Erysimum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
450
1
27800
👆🏻