Lemon Balm | Melissa officinalis
🌿 Ships well rooted in a 3.5 x 5 inch deep pot.
🌿 Ships well rooted in a 3.5 x 5 inch deep pot.
Few herbs deliver such instant, sunny cheer as lemon balm. Crush a single heart-shaped leaf and the bright, clean scent of lemon fills the air: fresh, citrusy, and uplifting all at once. The bright green, wrinkled, scalloped foliage grows on square stems in bushy, upright clumps that look at home in cottage borders, herb gardens, or along paths where a passing brush releases that wonderful fragrance. In summer, small creamy-white to pale yellow (sometimes pink-tinged) flowers appear in the leaf axils, modest in appearance but rich in nectar and irresistible to bees. The genus name Melissa comes from the Greek word for honeybee, a perfect nod to the plant’s long relationship with pollinators; officinalis marks its centuries-old place in traditional gardens and kitchens. Native to southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and parts of Central Asia and Iran, it has naturalized widely and thrives with easy grace in North American gardens.
Lemon balm is a hardy perennial that spreads by both seed and rhizomes, forming generous clumps that return reliably year after year. It can be enthusiastic about reseeding, so deadhead if you prefer to keep it contained, or let it wander a little for a soft, informal look. Cut the plants back after flowering for a fresh flush of aromatic leaves. The foliage is excellent for teas, salads, and potpourri, and the whole plant is deer- and rabbit-resistant.
🌿 Latin Name: Melissa officinalis
🌞 Light: Full sun to part shade (afternoon shade preferred in hot climates)
🌱 Soil: Well-drained; adapts to chalk, clay, loam, sand, and even poor or rocky soils; average fertility is fine
💧 Water: Moderate; consistent moisture preferred while establishing; drought-tolerant once established
📏 Mature Size: 1.5 to 2.5 ft tall (occasionally to 3 ft); 1.5 to 3 ft wide; forms spreading clumps over time
🌸 Bloom Time: June through August (sometimes into early fall)
🗺️ Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8 (reliable perennial in most temperate gardens)
🦋 Wildlife Value: Excellent nectar source for honeybees, bumblebees, and other pollinators; attracts butterflies; deer and rabbit resistant