Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Herbs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
-
Types
Melissa officinalis
herbaceous annuals
Number of Varieties
5200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Temperate Regions, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
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
8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm38.14 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm45.70 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, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Linear to lanceolate
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Root Division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Red blotch
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Butterflies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
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
Fever, Intestinal irritations, Kidney problems, Respiratory Disorders, Wounds
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
As a tea substitute, Culinary use, Medicinal oil, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used as essential oil, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Hanging Basket, Herb / Vegetable, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
PELARGONIUM 'Bitter Lemon'
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Bitter Lemon Scented Geranium, Scented Geranium
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Pelargonium
In German
Lemonbalm
Pelargonium
In French
mélisse
pélargonium
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
pelargonium
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Pelargonium
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
pelargônio
In Polish
Lemonbalm
pelargonia
In Latin
CITRAGO
Pelargonium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Geraniales
Family
Lamiaceae
Geraniaceae
Genus
Melissa
Pelargonium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
4200
1
27800
👆🏻