Genus: Melissa

Common Names: various

Description coming soon.

Distribution: Mediterranean Basin and Southern Asia

Melissa officinalis

Common name(s): lemon balm

Description: perennial; a well-known herb native to scrub and sandy locales of Southern Europe but naturalized elsewhere. Very aromatic, lemon-scented leaves and a tendency to reseed itself freely around the garden (which can be prevented with diligent removal of flowerheads before seed ripens). Used extensively in traditional medicine and herbal tea production as well as in the perfume industry. 

Height: to 2 ft. Spread: to 1 ft.

Position: very easy to grow in any exposure or soil type

Uses: medicine, culinary- herbal tea, to attract pollinators

Winter Hardiness: to 0 F and below

Drought: adapted to 3 months of summer drought

Distribution: Mediterranean Basin, SW Asia

Melissa officinalis 'Aurea'

Common name(s): variegated lemon balm

Description: perennial; a variegated, golden-leaved cultivar of the well-known herb, lemon balm. Very aromatic lemon-scented leaves and a tendency to reseed itself freely around the garden (which can be prevented with diligent removal of flowerheads before seed ripens). Used extensively in traditional medicine and herbal tea production as well as in the perfume industry. 

Height: to 2 ft. Spread: to 1 ft.

Position: partial shade to full shade and any soil type

Uses: medicine, culinary- herbal tea, to attract pollinators

Winter Hardiness: to 0 F and below

Drought: adapted to 3 months of summer drought

Melissa officinalis ex 'Mandarina'

Common name(s): mandarina lemon balm

Description: perennial; a seed strain of lemon balm selected for its warm, mandarin-scented leaves. Can be used in all the same ways as the classic lemon balm and is recently very popular in herbal teas and desserts. Has a tendency to reseed freely around the garden but this can be prevented by removal of the flowerheads before seed ripens. More trailing, spreading growth than the typical M officinalis.

Height: to 2 ft. Spread: to 2 ft.

Position: very easy to grow in any exposure or soil type

Uses: medicine, culinary- desserts, herbal tea, to attract pollinators

Winter Hardiness: to 0 F and below

Drought: adapted to 3 months of summer drought