Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Southern Europe
Types
Melissa officinalis
Arundo, Carrizo
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Saline Soils, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
6-10
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12 - 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
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
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Wet Site, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
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
Do not prune during shooting season, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
-
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
allergic conjunctivitis, flushing of face, wheezing
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification, Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Making cosmetics, Skin cleanser
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Sometimes
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Agroforestry, Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, soil stabilisation
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmoiliant
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Basketary, Showy Purposes, Used in making musical instruments, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
Sometimes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
ARUNDO donax
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Giant Reed
In German
Lemonbalm
Pfahlrohr
In French
mélisse
Arundo donax
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Arundo donax
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Arundo donax
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Cana-do-reino
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Lasecznica trzcinowata
In Latin
CITRAGO
Arundo donax
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Commelinids
Importance of Lemonbalm and Giant Reed
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Lemonbalm and Giant Reed. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Lemonbalm and Giant Reed as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Lemonbalm is Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia and Sedative whereas of Giant Reed is Diaphoretic, Diuretic and Emmoiliant. Lemonbalm has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin and Skin Problems while Giant Reed has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin and Skin Problems.
Compare Facts of Lemonbalm vs Giant Reed
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Lemonbalm vs Giant Reed and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Lemonbalm are Avoid during Pregnancy and Skin irritation whereas of Giant Reed have allergic conjunctivitis, flushing of face and wheezing respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Lemonbalm has no showy fruits and Giant Reed has no showy fruits. Also Lemonbalm is not flowering and Giant Reed is not flowering . You can compare Lemonbalm and Giant Reed facts and facts of other plants too.