Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Herbaceous Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Europe, Eastern Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Russia, Siberia, Mediterranean, Iraq, Iran, Western Asia
Types
Melissa officinalis
-
Number of Varieties
54
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Temperate Regions, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
8-3
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
A2, A3, 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
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm1,150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Light Yellow, Chocolate
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Gray Green, Dark Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Sword-like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings, Water-dispersed Seed
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly 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
Bacteria, fungus, Viruses
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
allergic reaction, 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
cathartic, Diarrhea
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Rhizomes, Whole plant
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 in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Bog Garden, Container, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
IRIS pseudacorus
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Pale Yellow Iris, Yellow Flag, Yellow Iris
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Pale Yellow Iris
In German
Lemonbalm
Sumpf-Schwertlilie
In French
mélisse
Iris pseudacorus
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Iris pseudacorus
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Pale Yellow Iris
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Pale Yellow Iris
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Kosaciec żółty
In Latin
CITRAGO
Pale Yellow Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asparagales
Family
Lamiaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Melissa
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
4260
1
27800
👆🏻