Beginner
skill rating
Online Garden Tools
Useful videos
Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)
1 hour care
per year
per year
1m
Max height
Max height
0.5m
Max spread
Max spread
2-5 years
To maturity
To maturity
Plant details
Botanical name
Melissa officinalis
Other names
Lemon balm, Sweet Mary, Tea balm, Honey plant, Pimentary, Sweet balm, Barm leaf, Bee balm, Dropsywort, Balm, Balm leaf, Balm oil plant
Genus
Melissa Melissa
Species
M. officinalis - M. officinalis is a bushy perennial with ovate, lemon-scented leaves, and creamy-white or pale purple flowers spikes in summer.
Melissa officinalis is: Deciduous
Fragrance
Leaves are scented - hence the common name Lemon balm - and can be used to flavour refreshing, cool drinks.
Habit
Bushy, Rounded
Flower
Pale-purple, White in Summer
Foliage
Bright-green in Spring; Bright-green in Summer
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Leafhoppers Leafhoppers
Diseases
Generally disease-free.
General care
Pruning
Cut back after flowering to encourage fresh leaf production and to prevent unwanted self-seeding.
Propagation methods
Division, Seed
Sign up for your FREE ACCOUNT today or login to receive detailed monthly care instructions
Where to grow
Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) will reach a height of 1m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
Beds and borders, Bees (attract & feed bees), Cottage/Informal, Flavouring food and drinks, Wildlife
Cultivation
Melissa officinalis will grow happily in any soil or aspect. Dead-head to avoid self-seeding.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade, Full Shade, Full Sun
Aspect
North, South, East, West
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
Companion plants
Botanical name
Melissa officinalis
Other names
Lemon balm, Sweet Mary, Tea balm, Honey plant, Pimentary, Sweet balm, Barm leaf, Bee balm, Dropsywort, Balm, Balm leaf, Balm oil plant
Genus
Melissa Melissa
Species
M. officinalis - M. officinalis is a bushy perennial with ovate, lemon-scented leaves, and creamy-white or pale purple flowers spikes in summer.
Foliage
Deciduous
Fragrance
Leaves are scented - hence the common name Lemon balm - and can be used to flavour refreshing, cool drinks.
Habit
Bushy, Rounded
Create your free Shoot garden
Create your free SHOOT garden and make a record of the plants in your garden.
Add your own photos, notes, get monthly email reminders on how to care for your plants, and connect with other gardeners. Get started now.
Colour
Flower
Pale-purple, White in Summer
Foliage
Bright-green in Spring; Bright-green in Summer
How to care
Watch out for
Specific pests
Diseases
Generally disease-free.
General care
Pruning
Cut back after flowering to encourage fresh leaf production and to prevent unwanted self-seeding.
Propagation methods
Division, Seed
Monthly care advice
Get access to monthly care advice
Create a free SHOOT account and get instant access to expert care advice for this and other plants in your garden.
You'll also receive handy monthly email reminders of what needs doing. Create your free account.
Where to grow
Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) will reach a height of 1m and a spread of 0.5m after 2-5 years.
Suggested uses
Beds and borders, Bees (attract & feed bees), Cottage/Informal, Flavouring food and drinks, Wildlife
Cultivation
Melissa officinalis will grow happily in any soil or aspect. Dead-head to avoid self-seeding.
Soil type
Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types)
Soil drainage
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Light
Partial Shade, Full Shade, Full Sun
Aspect
North, South, East, West
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness Note: We are working to update our ratings. Thanks for your patience.
Hardy (H4)
USDA zones
Zone 7, Zone 6, Zone 5, Zone 4, Zone 3
Defra's Risk register #1
Plant name
Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)
Common pest name
tomato thrips
Scientific pest name
Ceratothripoides brunneus
Type
Insect
Current status in UK
Absent
Likelihood to spread to UK (1 is very low - 5 is very high)
3
Impact (1 is very low - 5 is very high)
3
General biosecurity comments
Thrips present in Africa; the Caribbean and parts of Asia; frequently intercepted in the UK. Can cause significant damage to tomatoes and other crops in countries where it is present. Europe wide PRA will consider its potential to establish and cause damage.
About this section
Our plants are under greater threat than ever before. There is increasing movement of plants and other material traded from an increasing variety of sources. This increases the chances of exotic pests arriving with imported goods and travellers, as well as by natural means. Shoot is working with Defra to help members to do their part in preventing the introduction and spread of invasive risks.
Traveling or importing plants? Please read "Don't risk it" advice here
Suspected outbreak? Click here for contact details to report to the relevant authority.
Date updated: 7th March 2019 For more information visit: https://planthealthportal.defra.gov.uk/
In order to add a note on this plant, please add this plant to your plant lists.
| This plant likes... | Garden match | |
| Soil types: | Chalky, Clay, Loamy, Sandy (will tolerate most soil types) | Tell us... |
| Soil drainage: | Moist but well-drained, Well-drained | Tell us... |
| Soil pH: | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral | Tell us... |
| Light: | Partial Shade, Full Shade, Full Sun | Tell us... |
| Aspect: | North, South, East, West | Tell us... |
| Exposure: | Exposed, Sheltered | Tell us... |
| Hardiness: | Hardy (H4) | Tell us... |
COMPANION PLANTS
GARDENS WITH THIS PLANT
ARTICLES WITH THIS PLANT
Down Memory Lane Garden is a collaborative design by the team at The Blue Diamond Group inspired by the Father of the Lead Designer, who is living with dementia but has developed as a collective of… read more
Tom Dixon and IKEA are curious to see how we can make a positive impact on what we put on our plates, and hence our planet by exploring urban growing. Through our garden, we will use democratic… read more
Designed by Steve Dimmock & Paula Holland. The inspiration for the garden came from a personal, temporary experience of sight loss and to mark 150 years of RNIB in 2018. read more
By garden designers Anna Benn and Hannah Gardner. A Russian-themed garden based on the country estate near Moscow where Anton Chekhov, one of Russia’s greatest writers, wrote his famous play … read more
By garden designer Kate Savill & Tamara Bridge. Inspired by its home on Falls Farm in Northamptonshire, ‘The Warner Edwards Garden’ reflects the surrounding landscape of the farm. read more
Report content or feedback to Shoot
To add ? to your lists,
login to your account or subscribe.
Find out more about plant lists here
or Login
To add notes for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To add images for this plant login to your account or register for a new account.
Sign up for freeor Login
To check if this plant is suitable for your garden first login to your account or subscribe.
or Login
DISCUSS THIS PLANT
Melissa offcinalis
There are 3 active discussions about Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)
View all discussions