Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Europe
America
Types
Melissa officinalis
Cucurbita pepo
Number of Varieties
520
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
agricultural areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9-9999
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
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Light Pink
Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Heart shaped, toothed with three to five lobes
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Moist, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought, Pollution, Shade areas, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do not water excessively
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
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
cut main flower spike, Proper mowing practices are necessary, Remove damaged fruit
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, Potassium
Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Bacterial Stem Rot, Mildew, Red blotch, Ring Rot, White spots
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Shade areas, Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Leafminer, Mice, Rodents
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Sore Throat, Stomach pain
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Anti-ageing, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Antibacterial, Antioxidants, Detoxification, Rich in Potassium, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Cattle Fodder, Culinary use, Used as a laxative
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
MELISSA officinalis
Cucurbita pepo
Common Name
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
Zucchini, courgette
In Hindi
नींबू बाम
तोरी
In German
Lemonbalm
Zucchini
In French
mélisse
Courgette
In Spanish
Lemonbalm
calabacín
In Greek
Lemonbalm
κολοκύθι
In Portuguese
Lemonbalm
abobrinha
In Polish
Lemonbalm
Kabaczek
In Latin
CITRAGO
zucchini
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Lamiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Melissa
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Solanoideae
Number of Species
4-
1
27800
👆🏻