It grows to a maximum height of 70–150 cm (28–59 in). It can be very invasive especially in a garden outside. Be sure to start with young lemon balm plants from Bonnie Plants®, which has been helping home gardeners succeed for over 100 years. Lemon balm self-sows freely; remove flowers (deadhead) if you do not want volunteer seedlings the following season. Lemon Balm is a member of the mint family or the Lamiaceae family. The lemon balm plant is a thick and bushy perennial herb. Care: Lemon balm spreads by underground roots. Here in south east Queensland lemon balm does not flower. It also means it’s pretty darn hardy. The fresh leaves can be used as a garnish for drinks, desserts and savoury dishes. Preventing lemon balm from becoming invasive. Morphology: This herbaceous perennial grows up to 2’ in height and as wide. Some people use lemon balm to help promote sleep. Dig up the plant every few years and divide its roots, and keep its above-ground portions clipped back. Some people use lemon balm to help lower stress and anxiety. Given the right conditions, ample moisture and freedom to do as it pleases, it can become as invasive as most mints. Lemon balm is known to attract bees, butterflies and birds and has fragrant blossoms. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a lemon-scented herb that comes from the same family as mint.The herb is native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, but it’s grown around the world. It grows as a bushy, leafy herb with a pleasant lemon smell and small white flowers. Once planted, lemon balm will take over an herb bed, jumping about seemingly at will, so containers are a logical way of controlling its invasive nature. By removing the flowers as soon as they bloom, lemon balm … Description Medical science has proven that Lemon Balm, when combined with other calming herbs, (such as valerian, hops, and chamomile) helps reduce anxiety and promote sleep. Both lemon balm and lemon mint have the potential to become invasive. For that reason, many gardeners choose to plant lemon balm in containers, whether grown indoors or out, in an attempt to control its invasive nature. However, it spreads by seed, not runner, so cut the flower heads off before they seed to reduce your weeding. Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), balm, common balm, or balm mint, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the mint family Lamiaceae and native to south-central Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, Iran, and Central Asia, but now naturalized in the Americas and elsewhere.. One of the benefits being studied by modern medical circles is that of lemon balm’s healing effects on cold sores.. It will also be very appropriate to remove any nasty weeds that can grow around the lemon balm. Lemon balm is known to attract bees, butterflies and birds and has fragrant blossoms. Lemon balm, similar to peppermint and spearmint, can quickly become invasive if not controlled. Balm comes in cultivars other than plain green. Thankfully, there is no shortage of lemon balm uses. Lemon balm, also known as common balm or mint balm, is a calming herb that belongs to the mint family. However, members of the mint family become invasive due to the plant’s roots, whereas lemon balm becomes invasive because if tis seeds. Invasive Species Compendium. The addition of Lemon Balm not only helps you relax, it also adds a very pleasant earthy-lemon taste to an already lip-smackingly delicious lemonade. mixed with lemon balm for herbal "lemonade" or chopped and sprinkled into fruit salads. That will be very favorable especially when flowering in May and August. Lemon balm plants appreciate the contributions of organic fertilizers such as compost. Lemon Balm can be distinguished from the similar Marrubium vulgare (Common Horehound) by the presence of 5 teeth on its calyces, while the latter species has calyces with 10 teeth. For consuming lemon balm, I chose the tea route, which seemed like to least invasive / most natural method. After all danger of frost has past, set lemon balm plants 20 to 24 inches apart in rich, well-draining soil where it will receive some shade during the day. Lemon balm plants are most often grown from starters, which are available at plant nurseries as well as online. Lemon balm is drought tolerant and is useful in xeriscaping. Make coolers with one jigger of dry vermouth, a slice of lemon… Filter by type Search Advanced search Datasheet Melissa officinalis ... Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm) Index. How vigorously it or any other plant spreads is location & condition dependent. Invasive.org is a joint project of University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA Forest Service, USDA Identification Technology Program, and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Lemon Balm may become invasive …if you live in moist climates, have a lot of rainfall and don’t trim off seed heads. It’s invasive because of its seeds. To keep lemon balm from becoming invasive, set it in the garden in a bottomless container that will keep the roots in place. In full sun, the plant grows to two feet in height, bearing small, white, nondescript flowers in mid to late summer. My Lemon Balm Tea Experience. Honey-Sweetened Lemon Balm Lemonade This Honey-Sweetened Lemon Balm Lemonade is the perfect drink to cool down and relax on a warm and sunny day. The leaves have a mild lemon scent similar to mint. It looks very similar to mint in appearance, but it is not as invasive and easier to control. (On the Pacific coast, gardeners report that lemon balm has become invasive and will displace native plants if allowed to self-seed rampantly.) Lemon balm may be used to help … But while you can find dried lemon balm at many herb shops, the fresh variety isn't as readily available. All Gold has greeny-yellow leaves, and Aurea is variegated. Lemon balm is drought tolerant and is useful in xeriscaping. Excellent for tea. The lemon balm plant (Melissa officinalis) is actually a member of the mint family and is a perennial herb. The leafy stalks of lemon balm, green or variegated, serve nicely as a filler for homegrown flower and herb bouquets. Others may use lemon balm to help with herpes or cold sores. Detailed coverage of invasive species threatening livelihoods and the environment worldwide. So in order to prevent it from becoming invasive, consider using a bottomless container when planting lemon balm in the garden. Lemon balm does spread by seed and by root as Daisy mentioned. It can tolerate direct sunlight but plants grown in shade tend to be larger and more succulent. Is Lemon Balm Invasive? As its name implies, it has a lemony flavor that makes it ideal to use for tea, salads, herbal infusions, and other dishes. Lemon balm is included in our diet more easily than most people realize; it is an ideal garnish for fish dishes, can be blended into organic ice cream for a lemony burst, and the leaves can be brewed into an excellent evening tea that will help you sleep quickly. Lemon Balm is native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. Feeding: Lemon balm does not require extra feeding; side-dress plants with aged compost during the growing season. The leaves are very deeply wrinkled and range from dark green to yellowish green in color, depending on the soil and climate. Once procured, these plants should be given up to 2 feet of bumper space to account for their invasive and fast-growing nature. Lore and usage Vietnamese balm (Elsholtzia ciliata) combines lemon and floral flavors — it’s not our cup of tea, but you might feel differently. Lemon balm may be considered a noxious weed or invasive plant in some areas. Lemon balm does spread for me, but it isn't anything that I can't keep in check or harvest away. Lemon balm is considered an invasive plant in Oregon, but is generally well-behaved in other locations. Remove unwanted plants before they become established. It is related to mint in appearance, but it is not as invasive and easier to control. Lemon balm may be considered a noxious weed or invasive plant in some areas. Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007 Native Plant Society of Oregon, 2008 Website developed by The University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health and the National Park Service Be as gentle as possible with the roots and water lovingly. 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