Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
-
Types
Melissa officinalis
-
Number of Varieties
550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Cold Regions, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-8
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm27.90 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Blue, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
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
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs, Keep ground moist, Water more in summer
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
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, as it is a flowering plant, use high phosphorous content 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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Butterflies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, 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
Black Dyes
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, 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
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
Polemonium caeruleum
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Jacob's Ladder
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Jacob's Ladder
In German
Lemonbalm
Jacob's Ladder
In French
mélisse
Jacob's Ladder
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Jacob's Ladder
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Jacob's Ladder
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Jacob's Ladder
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Jacob's Ladder
In Latin
CITRAGO
Jacob's Ladder
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Ericales
Family
Lamiaceae
Polemoniaceae
Genus
Melissa
Polemonium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
440
1
27800
👆🏻