Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Herbs
Origin
North America, Europe, Africa, Asia
Southern Europe
Types
-
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
15
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Alpine Meadows, meadows, Mountains, stream banks
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
21,22
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
91.40 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson, Pink, Red, Yellow
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Several shades of Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas, Shallow soil
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, From bulbs
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the Soil well drained, occasional watering once established
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Prune after flowering, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Compost, Organic Flower Fertilizer
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Bacteria wilt, Pink Root, Red blotch, Root rot
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
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
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Bees
Allergy
Red eyes, Vomiting, wheezing
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Good Cleanser, Good for the Scalp
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antifungal, Anti-oxidant, Eczema, hemorrhoids
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Stem
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes
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
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
Spigelia marilandica
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Woodland pinkroot, Indian pink
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
pinkroot
नींबू बाम
In German
Spigelia
Lemonbalm
In French
Spigelia
mélisse
In Spanish
Spigelia
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Spigelia
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Spigelia
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Spigelia
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Spigelia
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Lamiales
Family
Loganiceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Spigelia
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
604
1
27800
👆🏻