Lemon balm seeds - Melissa officinalis

Melissa officinalis - lemon balm

One of the most popular herbs in the garden: Melissa officinalis smells of lemon, grows easily and regrows from the same clump every year. The leaves are suitable for tea, desserts and drinks, while flowering plants provide an important source of food for bees. The plant is also known as lemon balm or garden balm.

Appearance and growth habit

Lemon balm forms dense clumps of light green, serrated leaves with a distinct lemon scent. It blooms with small, pale yellow flowers in May and June. It reaches about 40 cm in height when flowering, and its dense growth habit also allows it to serve as ground cover.

Cultivation

This is a very hardy perennial, frost-hardy in USDA zones 3–9. It grows in well-drained or average soil and has no demanding requirements. Regularly cutting the leaves encourages the plant to produce new shoots.

Uses

Fresh and dried lemon balm leaves make a classic herbal tea. In the kitchen, they are added to lemonades, desserts, fruit salads and sauces. Lemon balm is also a traditional medicinal plant and a valued bee plant.

Seed data

Number of seeds per 1 g: approx. 1,647. The seeds germinate at around 20°C with consistently moderate substrate moisture; cover them with a thin layer of soil, while very fine seeds should only be pressed into the substrate. After emergence, keep the seedlings in a slightly cooler, bright location.