Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Balm (Melissa officinalis), often called lemon balm, because of the fragrance of its light green leaves. Small white or pale yellow flowers, produced in spikes or clusters, at or near the top of the plant, appear in late summer and early fall and are highly attractive, Thus, the generic name Melissa, from the Greek for “honey- bees. The stalk is four-sided, branching, and from two to three feet high; leaves opposite, in pairs, ovate, toothed on the borders.

Why should home gardeners grow Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)?

Home gardeners might want to consider growing Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) for several reasons:

1. Culinary Uses: Lemon balm has a delightful lemony flavor and aroma, making it a popular herb for culinary purposes. You can use it to add a refreshing citrusy twist to salads, teas, desserts, and various dishes.
2. Medicinal Benefits: Lemon balm has a long history of traditional medicinal use. It is known for its potential calming and stress-relieving properties. It may also help with digestive issues and sleep disorders. Making your own herbal remedies from homegrown lemon balm can be both cost-effective and health-promoting.
3. Aromatherapy and Potpourri: The aromatic leaves of lemon balm are excellent for creating scented sachets, potpourri, and essential oils. The pleasing fragrance can promote relaxation and improve the ambiance of your home.
4. Pollinator Attraction: Lemon balm produces small, nectar-rich flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. By cultivating lemon balm in your garden, you can help support local pollinator populations.
5. Easy to Grow: Lemon balm is relatively easy to grow and maintain. It is a hardy perennial herb that can thrive in a variety of soil types and light conditions. This makes it a great choice for both novice and experienced gardeners.
6. Companion Planting: Lemon balm can act as a companion plant in your garden. It may help repel certain pests such as mosquitoes and flies, making it a natural and fragrant way to protect nearby plants.
7. Versatility: Lemon balm is a versatile herb that can be used in various ways. You can grow it in pots or directly in the garden. It’s also suitable for both indoor and outdoor cultivation.
8. Fresh Herbal Tea: Fresh lemon balm leaves make a delicious and soothing herbal tea, which can be enjoyed throughout the day. It’s caffeine-free and has a mild, pleasant taste.
9. Educational Opportunity: Growing lemon balm offers a chance to learn about herb cultivation, gardening, and the natural world. It can be an educational and enjoyable activity for individuals or families.
10. Sustainability: Home gardening, especially with herbs like lemon balm, contributes to sustainable living. It reduces the need to purchase packaged herbs from the store, lowering your carbon footprint and supporting local biodiversity.

Origins

• South of Europe.

 Uses

• Leaves lend gentle flavor to puddings, soups, stuffing, punch, and other summer drinks. Pleasant garnish for fish and shellfish. Brew leaves to make excellent mild tea, which acts as a gentle sedative.
• The plant has a pleasant, lemon-like odor; an agreeable, aromatic taste; and, in flavoring certain dishes, is used as a substitute for lemon-thyme.
• It is beneficial in hemorrhage, and other diseases of the lungs; and, in the form of tea, constitutes a cooling and grateful diluent in fevers.
• A mixture of balm and honey, or sugar, is sometimes applied to the interior of beehives, just previous to receiving the swarm, for the purpose of “attaching the colony to its new settlement.

Substitutions

• Balm, like Angelica, can replace some of the sugar in fruit pies.
• Balm used as a substitute for lemon-thyme

Hardiness

• Hardy perennial

Height

• 2-4 ft.

Spread

• 12-18 in.

Requirements

•  Any warm, mellow, garden soil is suited to its growth, having good drainage;  full sun or partial shade.

Planting

•  It is generally propagated by dividing the roots, which may be done either in spring or in autumn. After thoroughly stirring the soil, set the roots in rows fifteen inches apart, and a foot apart in the rows. Under good management, the plants will soon completely cover the surface of the ground, and the bed will not need renewal for many years.
• Sow tiny seeds in a pan in late spring. Thin established seedlings to 2 in. apart. When they are about 4 in. tall, plant in the garden, 1 ft. apart. Set out nursery-grown plants in mid-spring

Harvesting

• Cut shoots individually as soon as flowers appear, continuing until mid-fall.
• If cut for drying, the plants should be cut as they come into flower, separating the stems from the surface of the ground. They should not be exposed to the sun in drying, but placed in an airy, shady place, and allowed to dry gradually.
• The leaves, in their green state, may be taken directly from the plants as they are required for use.

Preserving

• Dry or freeze leaves

Related References