Life Span
Perennial
Annual or Biennial
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Europe
Mexico, Central America
Types
Melissa officinalis
Mexican potato,Mexican yam bean
Number of Varieties
5-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
agricultural areas, Moist Soils, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-99-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-8
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, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm50.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Dry soil, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
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
Beetles, Leaf spot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Shade areas, Shallow soil
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Butterflies, Mice
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Irritation to stomach, Itchiness
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Improve skin tone
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Food for animals, Soil protection
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Cold, Fever, Inflammation
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Bulbs, Root
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 Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
PACHYRHIZUS erosus
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Mexican Yam bean
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Pachyrhizus erosus
In German
Lemonbalm
Yambohne
In French
mélisse
Kłębian kątowaty
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Pachyrhizus erosus
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Pachyrhizus erosus
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Pachyrhizus erosus
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Pachyrhizus erosus
In Latin
CITRAGO
Pachyrhizus erosus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Eudicotyledones
Order
Lamiales
Fabales
Family
Lamiaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Melissa
Pachyrhizus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
4100
1
27800
👆🏻