Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Herbs
Origin
United States
Southern Europe
Types
-
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
255
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rich Woods
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-84-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
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
Mat-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
25.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lavender, White
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate-lanceolate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead flowers
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Rust
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Bees
Allergy
Mild Allergen
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Boils, Eczema, Intestinal disorders
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
As a tea substitute, Used as eyewash
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
Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
Phlox bifida
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Phlox bifida, Phlox
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
Phlox bifida
नींबू बाम
In German
Phlox bifida
Lemonbalm
In French
Phlox bifida
mélisse
In Spanish
Phlox bifida
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Phlox bifida
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Phlox bifida
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Phlox bifida
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Phlox bifida
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Solanales
Lamiales
Family
Polemoniaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Phlox
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Phlocideae
-
Subfamily
Polemonioideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
674
1
27800
👆🏻