Lemon Balm

Table of Contents

1. Description
2. Origin
3. Uses
4. Culture
5. Sources
6. Thanks to...

Melissa officinalis
Family: Labiatae

Common names: balm, Melissa, balm mint, bee balm, blue balm, cure all, dropsy plant, garden balm, sweet balm

Description

Lemon balm is an herbaceous perennial with opposite, broad, ovate, toothed, lemon scented leaves, and clusters of small, white or yellowish, tubular flowers. Grows up to 1.5m.

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Origin

Southern Europe: Lemon Balm was known to the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Arabs as a medicinal plant. It has been cultivated in the Mediterranean for about 2,000 years. Bees are attracted to lemon balm. An essential oil (0.1-0.8% fresh weight) can be extracted and contains citral, citronellal, eugenol acetate, linalool and other terpenes, polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, rosmarinic acid. Most commercial production is located in the Mediterranean.

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Uses of Lemon Balm and claims

• Culinary:
• fresh leaves give a lemon flavour to salads, vegetable dishes, chicken salads, poultry stuffing, punch;
• dried leaves used to make herbal tea and are added to pot pourri and herb pillows.
• Medicinal:
  • Internally: The volatile oil is used to calm the central nervous system, relieve anxiety, mild depression, restlessness, irritability; was discovered to have antithyroid properties and has been given to people with overactive thyroids;
  • Externally: used to relieve cuts, insect bites, good for fevers.
  • The leaves also have anti-viral properties.
  • Aromatherapy: to relax and rejuvinate, to relieve depression and nervous tension.
• Industrial: Garden ornamental, skin cleansers, herbal baths

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Culture

• Propagation: Lemon balm can be propagated from seeds, root divisions and stem cuttings. Seeds can be planted directly in the field or started in a greenhouse. Space plants 30-45 cm in rows 60 - 75 cm apart.
• Soil Type: The soil needs to be very well drained and a pH of 4.5 to 7.5.
• Cultivation: Prefers moist soil in sum or patrial shade. Halva and Craker (1996) recommend a preplant application of a complete fertilizer or composted manure with additional nitrogen (split applications), phosphorous, and potassium applications after one to two years growth.
• Harvest: Plants should be cut as flowering begins by cutting off the top growth, leaving a 5 cm stubble for regrowth. Lemon balm is susceptible to frost, and mulching is recommended before a hard frost.

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Sources

• Bremness, L. 1994. Herbs. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. London.
• Chevallier, A. 1996. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Reader's Digest Association.
• Halva, S, L.E. Craker. 1996. Manual for Northern Herb Growers. HSMP Press.
• Kowalchik, C. and W. H. Hylton Eds. 1998. Rodale's illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs. Rodale Press.
• Sturdivant, L, T. Blakely. 1999. Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field & Marketplace. San Juan Naturals.
• Keville, K. Herbs an Illustrated Encyclopedia. 1994. Friedman/Fairfax publishers.
• McVicar J. Jekka's Complete Herb Book. 1998. Raincoast Books.

Thanks to

This demonstration garden was a result of the efforts of Dr. Alan McKeown, Vegetable Scientist, University of Guelph and was made possible with grants from the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the Tobacco Diversification Program.

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