Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis L.
Botanical family: Lamiaceae
A bushy perennial of the Lamiaceae family (Melissa officinalis), with broadly scalloped leaves that give off a lemony scent when crushed. Often grown and naturalised, it thrives in partial shade in a cool, rich soil. Sources: Tela Botanica, “Melissa officinalis L.” (Coste's flora); Plants For A Future, “Melissa officinalis”.
Partial shade
Rich, cool
Moderate, dislikes standing water, especially in winter
Hardy
Overwinters in your zone
Role in permaculture
An exceptional nectar-bearing perennial, its Greek name means 'bee': it massively attracts foragers and self-seeds readily.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Insects attracted or useful
Seasons & availability
A perennial whose foliage dies back in winter: fresh leaves from May to October, the young shoots being the most fragrant; dried, they keep a few months.
Available: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- RHS, « How to Grow Lemon balm » (rhs.org.uk/herbs/lemon-balm/grow-your-own)
- La Ferme de Sainte Marthe, « Réussir la culture de la Mélisse » (fermedesaintemarthe.com/en/blogs/comment-reussir-la-culture-de/reussir-la-culture-de-la-melisse)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Effects generally moderate. As a precaution, in case of treatment for a thyroid condition, seek advice before regular and concentrated consumption: old laboratory work showed that a lemon balm extract could interfere in vitro with the binding of TSH to its receptor, a mechanism not confirmed clinically to date.
In the kitchen & the apothecary
Where to find lemon balm in preparations: recipes and traditional herbal teas.
Family behaviour: Lamiaceae
In general, Lamiaceae are aromatics (basil, mint, thyme, rosemary, sage, lavender, lemon balm, savory). Their essential oils are reputed to bother some insects, but in a trial cited by Parker et al. (2013), sage, thyme and mint planted near cabbages did not reduce their pests. Their flowers are much visited by pollinators.
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Species & varieties
The best-known species and varieties in France.
Common varieties
Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides · Roman Mediterranean, 1st century AD
The name Melissa comes from the Greek melissa, 'bee': attracted by its nectar-rich flowers, the bees earned it this name, and the Greeks called it melissophyllon, 'bee-leaf'. Pliny the Elder (Natural History, XX, 45) and Dioscorides both note this affinity, and since antiquity beekeepers rubbed the inside of new hives with crushed lemon balm to fix the swarm there: that is the attested fact. Later, Grieve reports the esteem in which Paracelsus held it, believing it able to revive man, as well as the early-modern Carmelite water, historical testimonies of a reputation, not of demonstrated properties.
Pline l'Ancien, Histoire naturelle, XX, 45 (Apiastrum / Melissophyllon) ; Dioscoride, De materia medica ; M. Grieve, A Modern Herbal (1931), notice « Balm ».
The fact attested by the ancient sources is twofold: the bees' attraction to the plant and the 'bee' etymology of its name. The esteem of Paracelsus and the Carmelite water are reported as historical testimonies of reputation, not as demonstrated therapeutic properties: no health claim is presented here as a fact. One avoids conflating them with the Melissae priestesses of Demeter and Artemis, which belong to another, more uncertain mythological dossier.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers partial shade exposure.
- • Ideal soil: rich, cool.