Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Melissa officinalis
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
59
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-99-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-9
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, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs a lot of water initially
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full 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
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Dried seeds, 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
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Sausage Tree
In German
Lemonbalm
Sausage Tree
In French
mélisse
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
Lemonbalm
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
Lemonbalm
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
CITRAGO
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Lamiales
Family
Lamiaceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Melissa
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Tecomeae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
49
1
27800
👆🏻