Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
Northern Europe, Russia/Siberia
Types
Melissa officinalis
Young's weeping birch, Ornäs Birch
Number of Varieties
560
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-92-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
7-1
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
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Light Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Double-toothed, serrated
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Wet Site, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Water more in summer
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
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
General purpose granulated 30-10-10 fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Anthracnose, Birch Leafminer, Bronze Birch Borer, Slime Flux
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Butterflies, Insects, Moths
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Used in parkland
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
anti-inflammatory, Antirheumatic, Antiseptic, Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Inner Bark, Leaves, Sap
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 a thickener in soups, Used as essential oil, used for making charcoal, Used in making tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
BETULA pendula
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Common Birch, European White Birch, Silver Birch
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Silver Birch
In German
Lemonbalm
Weißbirke
In French
mélisse
Silver Birch
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Abedul de plata
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Silver Birch
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Silver Birch
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Silver Birch
In Latin
CITRAGO
Argentum Birch
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Fagales
Family
Lamiaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Melissa
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Betuloideae
Number of Species
460
1
27800
👆🏻