Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southern Europe
North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Brazil
Types
Melissa officinalis
Echinopsis pachanoi
Number of Varieties
510
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
shrublands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-912-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-10
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
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
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
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, Keep immersed in water, Requires more often in extreme heat
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, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
6-12-12 or 5-10-10
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Mealybugs, Red spider mite, Scale insects, Slugs, Snails
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
drowsiness, Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification, Decorating walls, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
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
Aphrodisiac, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
extracted oil
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 Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for Landscaping
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
ECHINOPSIS pachanoi
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
San Pedro
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
सैन पेड्रो
In German
Lemonbalm
Echinopsis pachanoi
In French
mélisse
Echinopsis pachanoi
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Echinopsis pachanoi
In Greek
Lemonbalm
San Pedro κάκτος
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Wachuma
In Polish
Lemonbalm
San pedro (kaktus)
In Latin
CITRAGO
San Pedro
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Caryophyllales
Family
Lamiaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Melissa
Echinopsis
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
436
1
27800
👆🏻