Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Herbs
Origin
Southern Europe
Mexico, Central America, South America
Types
Melissa officinalis
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants
Number of Varieties
51
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
shrublands, tropical grasslands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9-9999
0
99
👆🏻
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
H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm50.80 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green, Light Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial 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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
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
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
Pest Free
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Flies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
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
Detoxification, Insect Bites, Stomach pain, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Pesticide, The essential oil is used as insect repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
CHENOPODIUM ambrosioides
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Mexican Tea
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Dysphania ambrosioides
In German
Lemonbalm
Mexikanischer Drüsengänsefuß
In French
mélisse
Épazote
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Dysphania ambrosioides
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Μεξικού τσάι
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Dysphania ambrosioides
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Komosa piżmowa
In Latin
CITRAGO
Dysphania ambrosioides
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Lamiaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Genus
Melissa
Dysphania
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Dysphanieae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Chenopodioideae
Number of Species
430
1
27800
👆🏻