Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Southern Europe
Types
Ratibida columnifera
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
255
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-104-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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
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
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Subulate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees
Allergy
Rhinitis
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
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, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
RATIBIDA columnifera
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Mexican Hat
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Mexican Hat
नींबू बाम
In German
Mexican Hat
Lemonbalm
In French
Mexican Hat
mélisse
In Spanish
mexican Hat
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Mexican Hat
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Mexican Hat
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Mexican Hat
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Mexicanus Hat
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Lamiales
Family
Asteraceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Ratibida
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
144
1
27800
👆🏻