Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
Southeastern United States, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Melissa officinalis
tourist tree, turpentine tree, chaca
Number of Varieties
51
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Riverbanks, Sandy stream banks, Tropical rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
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, 13, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Twisted/Contorted
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Crimson, Copper
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Compound
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
Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
occasional watering once established
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Birds, Butterflies, Deers, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
allergic reaction, Eye irritation, Mouth itching, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Bonsai
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Improve skin condition, Making cosmetics, Removes pimples
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Sometimes
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Aging, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Headache
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Application in Furniture, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
BURSERA simaruba
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Gumbo Limbo, Tourist Tree, Turpentine Tree
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Bursera simaruba
In German
Lemonbalm
Bursera simaruba
In French
mélisse
Bursera simaruba
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Bursera simaruba
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Bursera simaruba
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Bursera simaruba
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Bursera simaruba
In Latin
CITRAGO
Bursera simaruba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Lamiales
Sapindales
Family
Lamiaceae
Burseraceae
Genus
Melissa
Bursera
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
410
1
27800
👆🏻