Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Shrub
Origin
Southern Europe
China
Types
Melissa officinalis
Chimonanthus praecox, Chimonanthus zhejiangensis
Number of Varieties
51
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
Mountain Slopes, Mountain tops, Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
9-4
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
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Light Yellow, Dark Red, Sienna
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Acuminate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Early Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do not water excessively, Water Deeply
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Prune for size control, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Frost
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
-
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Bonsai, Ornamental use
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
Antiphlogistic, Antirheumatic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers
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 Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
CHIMONANTHUS praecox
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Winter Sweet
Japanese allspice
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
Wintersweet
In German
Lemonbalm
Wintersweet
In French
mélisse
Wintersweet
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
wintersweet
In Greek
Lemonbalm
Wintersweet
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
wintersweet
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Wintersweet
In Latin
CITRAGO
Wintersweet
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
-
Family
Lamiaceae
Calycanthaceae
Genus
Melissa
Chimonanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
-
Number of Species
411
1
27800
👆🏻