Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
North America, United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, California, Canada
Southern Europe
Types
-
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
305
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Lowland evergreen rainforest
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-74-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
12-1
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 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
Pyramidal
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,370.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Red, Coral
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
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
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
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
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Layering, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
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, Nitrogen
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
-
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects
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
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anodyne, Appetizer, Astringent
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Inner Bark, Sap
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as a dye, used for making charcoal, Used for making informal hedge
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
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
ALNUS rubra
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Oregon Alder, Red Alder
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
red alder
नींबू बाम
In German
rot-Erle
Lemonbalm
In French
aulne rouge
mélisse
In Spanish
aliso rojo
Lemonbalm
In Greek
κόκκινη σκλήθρα
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
amieiro vermelho
Lemonbalm
In Polish
czerwony olcha
Lemonbalm
In Latin
red alnus
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Lamiales
Family
Betulaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Alnus
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
354
1
27800
👆🏻