Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Western United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, Canada
Types
Melissa officinalis
-
Number of Varieties
52
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Forest margins, Thickets
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
8-1
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm430.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Yellow, Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, for fruiting plants, use high phosphorous content fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Bacterial leaf spot, Cane Spot, fungus, Powdery mildew, Viruses
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, 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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
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
Food for birds, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Cold, Fever
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
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 As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Screening / Wind Break
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
Sambucus racemosa
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Red Elderberry, Red-berried Elderberry
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Red Elderberry
In German
Lemonbalm
Rote Holunder
In French
mélisse
Red sureau
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
La baya del saúco roja
In Greek
Lemonbalm
κόκκινο Elderberry
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Red Elderberry
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Red Elderberry
In Latin
CITRAGO
pubens
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Dipsacales
Family
Lamiaceae
Caprifoliaceae
Genus
Melissa
Sambucus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
47
1
27800
👆🏻