Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
South America
Types
Melissa officinalis
Peruvian peppertree, peppercorn tree, Peruvian mastic
Number of Varieties
5100
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Dappled Shade, open Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-11
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, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Weeping
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm1,219.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm1,219.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Light Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Pink, Rose
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
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
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Arrowhead
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
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, Water Deeply
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
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
Cut limbs, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought, Pollution
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Irritate the mucus membrane
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Insignificant
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Antiemetic, Antirheumatic, Appetizer, Digestive, Miscellany, Purgative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits, 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
Condiment, Gum
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Edible, Feature Plant, Rock Garden / Wall, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
SCHINUS molle
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Peppertree
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Peppertree
In German
Lemonbalm
Peppertree
In French
mélisse
Peppertree
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
peppertree
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Peppertree
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Peppertree
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Peppertree
In Latin
CITRAGO
Peppertree
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Sapindales
Family
Lamiaceae
Anacardiaceae
Genus
Melissa
Schinus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Anacardioideae
Number of Species
4600
1
27800
👆🏻