Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Herbaceous Perennial

Melissa officinalis 'Lime Balm'

lemon balm 'Lime Balm'

A bushy and upright herbaceous perennial to 60cm tall, and wrinkled, scalloped leaves to 7cm long; these have a strong citrus scent when crushed. Throughout summer it produces spikes of white to purple-tinted flowers that are attractive to bees

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
4 suppliers

Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Lamiaceae
Native to the UK: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Melissa are herbaceous perennials with broadly ovate, aromatic leaves and small 2-lipped white flowers in spikes in summer
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in poor, well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. See cultivating herbs for further information

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or autumn, by cuttings in spring or summer, or by seed sown in a cold frame in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back old stems to ground level in early spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to powdery mildews

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.