Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Herbs
Origin
Southern Asia, India, China
Southern Europe
Types
-
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
655
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Humid climates, Warmer regions
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-104-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-4
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
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
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
910.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Gold, Tan
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Red, Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require lot of watering
Medium
In Summer
Less Watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Adequately
Moderate
In Winter
Ample Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Don't prune in winter, No pruning needed in the early stages
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize three times a year, very little fertilizers at a time
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Caterpillars, Scale, Spider mites
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees
Allergy
-
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Skin Problems
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
-
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Heart problems, Skin Disorders, Vitamin C
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
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
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
DIMOCARPUS longan
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Longan
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Longan
नींबू बाम
In German
Longan
Lemonbalm
In French
longane
mélisse
In Spanish
Longan
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Longan
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Longan
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Longan
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Longan
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Lamiales
Family
Sapindaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Dimocarpus
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
654
1
27800
👆🏻