Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Tree
Origin
Southern Europe
Southeastern United States
Types
Melissa officinalis
Tree
Number of Varieties
5-
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Dappled Shade, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-95-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-3
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
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Red, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Oblong to ablanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
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
Nitrate based fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Beetles
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
Birds
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Hair Conditioner, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Cardiac, Diuretic, Refrigerant, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Bark, 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
It is a remedy for treating fevers, Used in making tea, Used in treatment of mouth ulcers
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
OXYDENDRUM arboreum
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Sourwood
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Sourwood
In German
Lemonbalm
Sourwood
In French
mélisse
Sourwood
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Sourwood
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Sourwood
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Sourwood
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Sourwood
In Latin
CITRAGO
Sourwood
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Ericales
Family
Lamiaceae
Ericaceae
Genus
Melissa
Oxydendrum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Oxydendreae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Vaccinioideae
Number of Species
41
1
27800
👆🏻