Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Herbs
Herbs, Spices
Origin
Southern Europe
Eastern Asia, Southern Asia, India, Nepal, China
Types
Melissa officinalis
-
Number of Varieties
520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-10
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
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm91.44 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm45.72 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Oval with toothed margin
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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 Fall, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
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, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Moist, Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Moist, Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought, Dry soil
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
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Butterflies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Dermatitis, Pulmonary oedema, Respiratory distress
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Antibacterial, Antidote, Antipyretic, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Antitussive, Asthma, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Emollient, Exoectorant, Expectorant, Pectoral, Stomachic, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, 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
For making oil, Used as essential oil
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Showy Tree
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
PERILLA frutescens
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Perilla, Shiso
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Perilla plant
In German
Lemonbalm
Perilla Pflanze
In French
mélisse
plante Perilla
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
planta de perilla
In Greek
Lemonbalm
φυτό perilla
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
planta Perilla
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Poręcz roślin
In Latin
CITRAGO
Perilla herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Lamiales
Family
Lamiaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Melissa
Perilla
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
423
1
27800
👆🏻