Plant profile
Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis
Also known as balm, melissa, common balm.
Lemon balm is a soft leafy herb with a bright lemon scent and a relaxed mounding habit. It grows best in mild weather with regular moisture and some afternoon shade in hotter climates.
- Grows well in
- Subtropical, Temperate, Cool / mountains, Mediterranean
- Lifecycle
- Aromatic perennial herb
- Light
- Full sun, Part shade
- Mature size
- Usually 40–80 cm tall and 40–80 cm wide
- Spacing
- About 40–60 cm apart
- Growth habit
- Bushy aromatic perennial that can spread by seed
- Native range
- Mediterranean region through western and Central Asia
- Natural habitat
- Temperate woodland edges, hedges, stream margins and other moist open ground.
When to plant
Subtropical
March–June
Temperate
March–May
Cool / mountain
September–November
Mediterranean
March–May
Plant in autumn or spring. In subtropical gardens, the cooler months usually produce the best soft leafy growth.
Planting
Plant in a herb bed or pot where you can reach it often for harvesting. A container is useful if you want to limit spread.
Position and light
Full sun to part shade. In hot districts, afternoon shade keeps leaves softer for longer.
Soil
Fertile, free-draining soil that holds some moisture.
Watering
Water when the upper soil begins to dry. Container plants need more frequent watering through warm weather.
Feeding
Compost in spring is usually enough. Avoid heavy feeding, which can produce lots of soft growth with weaker aroma and can make plants more prone to flopping in wind or rain.
Pruning
Cut back regularly to keep fresh leaves coming. Trim flowering stems before mature seed drops if you want to prevent seedlings. Lemon balm can self-seed freely. If you want leaves rather than seedlings everywhere, cut flower stems before the seed fully ripens and keep harvesting the fresh leafy growth.
Harvest
Pick young leafy stems as needed. Leaves can be used fresh or dried.
Propagation
Seed, cuttings or division.
Common problems
Self-seeding is the main management issue. Rust, leaf spots and mites can appear on crowded or stressed plants, particularly where airflow is poor.
Worth knowing
Fresh young leaves have the strongest lemon fragrance. Cutting the plant back after flowering encourages a fresh flush of soft leaves and keeps an older clump looking tidy.
Grow Lemon balm with Brancho
Add it to My Garden and Brancho works out what it needs next, timed for your climate.
How it grows around Australia
Growing this too? Share what you've noticed in your garden.
Grow a Little Wild
New plants to try, useful growing tips and a few garden jobs based on what you grow.