Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern United States, California, Caribbean
Southern Europe
Types
Grass
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
15
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
marshes, Swamps, Tropical Climate
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 9
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 12, 13, 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
Mat-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
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
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Fin-shaped Tufts
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Plugs, Sod, Sprigs
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
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees
Allergy
Congestion, Itchiness, sneezing
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
-
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used in lawns and turf
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
Lawns and Turf
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
STENOTAPHRUM secundatum
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Softleaf Buffalo Grass, St. Augustine Grass
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
St. Augustine Grass
नींबू बाम
In German
St. Augustine Grass
Lemonbalm
In French
St. Augustine Grass
mélisse
In Spanish
St. Augustine Grass
Lemonbalm
In Greek
St. Augustine Grass
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
St. Augustine Grass
Lemonbalm
In Polish
St. Augustine Grass
Lemonbalm
In Latin
St. Augustine Grass
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Lamiales
Family
Poaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Stenotaphrum
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
74
1
27800
👆🏻