Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm Care

Melissa officinalis

What is the plant

Lemon balm is an aromatic green wonder that is very easy to take care of. Often called an “elixir of life,” this herb has a long history as a medicine and cooking ingredient.

Lemon balm is a perennial essential oil plant from the Lamiaceae (mint) family. The ancestral home of this herb extends from the eastern region of the Mediterranean to Persia and North Africa. It is 11-47 inches (30-120cm) tall with a strongly branched rhizome and underground sprouts.

The stem of Melissa officinalis is tetrahedral and covered with short, gentle hairs. The leaves are petiolate and can be ovate or rounded-rhombic in shape. The flowers are grouped in clusters of 6-12. Their colors range from blue-white to lavender. This beautiful plant flowers from June to August and bears shiny black seeds.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Full Sun

Temperature

18°C - 20°C

Hardiness zone

4a - 9b

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

Invasive

Weed

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Lemon balm needs abundant watering at the initial stage of growth. Usually, this plant requires irrigation once a day. However, before giving your green pet a drink, it's recommended to check if the topsoil is dry. Excess moisture can lead to root rot.
Pruning
Trim your lemon balm sprouts 4 inches (10 cm) from the ground twice per season. Pruning usually results in the growth of many new branches. You can also pinch back the plant’s stems or remove the old wilting flowers.
Fertilizer
Melissa officinalis should be fertilized after each cut. You can use complex liquid fertilizers and organic mulching (a significant layer of humus or compost). However, don't fertilize your lemon balm before it begins to flower, as this prevents the seeds from ripening in time. Normally, this plant needs feeding once a month during the growing period.

Disease diagnosis

Check your plant’s health

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Sunlight
Melissa officinalis feels most comfortable in bright sun rays. Even though this plant can survive in partial shade, it will lose its aroma and ability to produce oil. Make sure to provide your green pet with a sunny spot, for example, next to a south-facing window.
Soil
This plant thrives in moderately acidic (6.5 to 7 pH) and sandy soil. Many other soil types, except for clay, are tolerable for lemon balm plants. It’s essential that the growing medium stays moist and provides protection from weeds, so we recommend applying a protective layer of mulch.
Propagation
You can germinate lemon balm from seeds by planting them outdoors at the end of May. However, the more popular way is to divide the bush. Bushes older than three years are suitable for division.

Alternatively, you can propagate the plant by layering. You will simply need to cut the underside of a long low-growing stem and put it in the soil.

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Temperature
The optimum temperature for growing lemon balm is 60-77˚F (16-25˚C). This is a thermophilic plant, so it needs special care in the wintertime. With the advent of cold weather, mulch your green pet with manure. This way, its rhizomes do not get cold. You can warm your Melissa up with leaves or sawdust and sprinkle it with soil.
Container
A vessel of any proportion can be suitable for Melissa officinalis, depending on the size you wish for your plant to be. Typically, the pot should be 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) deep to accommodate the plant's root system. It is also essential to use the container with drainage holes (or drill them yourself).
Fun fact
In the 9th century, the Frankish king Charlemagne ordered all active monasteries to grow lemon balm in their gardens.