Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Herbaceous Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Asia
Types
Melissa officinalis
Bowl of Beauty, Laura Dessert
Number of Varieties
5700
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-93-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
8-1
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
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm76.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White, Light Yellow, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring, Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Water during periods of drought
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
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
High phosphorus
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Blight, Leaf spot, Stem spot, Viruses
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Ants, Insects
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Heals cracked skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Analgesic, Anodyne, Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Astringent, Carminative, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Root, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Eaten in a broth, Powdered and mixed with tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
PAEONIA lactiflora 'Laura Dessert'
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Garden Peony, Chinese Peony
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Garden Peony
In German
Lemonbalm
Garten -Pfingstrose
In French
mélisse
Jardin Pivoine
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Jardín Peony
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Κήπος Παιώνια
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Garden Peony
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Garden Peony
In Latin
CITRAGO
AGLAOPHOTIS paradiso
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Dilleniales
Family
Lamiaceae
Paeoniaceae
Genus
Melissa
Paeonia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
440
1
27800
👆🏻