Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Herbs
Flowering Plants
Origin
Southern Europe
America, Europe
Types
Melissa officinalis
Clump verbena, Moss verbena, Annual Verbena, Brazilian verbena, Sandpaper Verbana
Number of Varieties
550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Forest edges, Hillside, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-93-9
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, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm6.56 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm10.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Blue, Dark Purple, Light Purple, Red, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Early Spring, Late Autumn
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Fall, Early Summer, Fall, Late Spring, Late Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do not water frequently, Medium, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune lower leaves, Prune regularly, Prune to control growth
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
-
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
-
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Butterflies
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Arthritis, Asthma, Chest Pain, Itchiness, Whooping Cough
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
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
Arthritis, Gallbladder Diseases, Itching, Jaundice, Joint pain, Kidney problems, Liver problems, Metabolic disorders, Sore throat, Upset stomach, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Cosmetics, Decoration Purposes, Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for flavoring in Liquors, dairy products, gelatins,puddings, meats, candies, etc., Used for fragrance
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Bedding Plant, Bonsai, Container, Edible, Herb
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
Purpletop Vervain
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Verbena
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
verbena
In German
Lemonbalm
Eisenkraut
In French
mélisse
verveine
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
Verbena
In Greek
Lemonbalm
λουίζα
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
verbena
In Polish
Lemonbalm
werbena
In Latin
CITRAGO
Grindelia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Lamiales
Family
Lamiaceae
Verbenaceae
Genus
Melissa
Verbena
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
4250
1
27800
👆🏻