Common Name: Balm, Citronella
Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis ’Citronella’
Zone: 5-9
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Height: 1.5 – 2 ft.
Width: 1.5 – 3 ft.
Habit: Bushy
Flower: White to pale yellow
Bloom Season: June – August
Foliage: Green, saw-toothed, fragrant
Fruit: N/A
Flavor: Citrusy
Fragrance: Lemony, most fragrant of the balms
Sun: Full to part shade
Soil: Average, well-drained
Water: Dry to medium
Tolerant: Drought, poor soil, deer
Culinary Uses: Edible leaves used in salads, soups, sauces, vegetables & to flavor teas.
Garden Uses: Fragrance garden, herb garden, filler
Medicinal Uses: Historically used for calming nervous disorders, soothing insect bites & treating colds. Contains more essential oil than other lemon balms- (almost double!)
Harvesting: Frequent pruning, including removal of flower stalks, encourages new leaf growth (which have the best fragrance), minimizes self-seeding & improves ornamental value. Unpruned plants may appear weedy.
Attracts: Honey bees (Melissa is Greek for honey bee)
Information provided on the traditional uses and properties of herbs are for educational use only, and is not intended as medical advice. You should always check with your health care practitioner before self-administering herbs