Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Herbs
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Europe
Southeastern Asia
Types
Melissa officinalis
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
5200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-8
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, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, 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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaf Stalks, 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 As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
अरवी
In German
Lemonbalm
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
mélisse
Colocasia
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Colocasia
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
Colocasia
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Kolokazja
In Latin
CITRAGO
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Arales
Family
Lamiaceae
Araceae
Genus
Melissa
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
410
1
27800
👆🏻