Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
Southeastern Asia, Australia
Types
Melissa officinalis
Melaleuca quinquenervia
Number of Varieties
55
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-99-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-7
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, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Light Yellow, Light Pink, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green, Plum
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Elliptic
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Get enough water whenever the soil is dry
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
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
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
Antibiotic, Cough, Headache, hemorrhoids, Respiratory Disorders, Rheumatism
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Bark, Flowers, Leaves, Wood
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 essential oil
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
MELALEUCA quinquenervia
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Cajeput Tree, Paperbark Tree, Punk Tree
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Paperbark tree
In German
Lemonbalm
Paperbark tree
In French
mélisse
Paperbark tree
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Paperbark tree
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Paperbark tree
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Paperbark tree
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Paperbark tree
In Latin
CITRAGO
Paperbark tree
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Myrtales
Family
Lamiaceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Melissa
Melaleuca
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
413
1
27800
👆🏻