Lemon balm label
Common names: Lemon balm, melissa, bee balm, balm mint
Botanical name: Melissa officinalis
Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Aspect & soil: Full sun to part shade; rich, well-drained soil
Best climate: Most
Habit: Perennial
Propagation: Seed, seedling, cutting
Difficulty: Easy
This beautifully fragrant herb has a long history in folk medicine. It was well known to the ancient Greek and Arab physicians as a treatment for skin and digestive problems as well as mood disorders. The Greeks and Romans also steeped it in wine to treat wounds and insect bites.
Legend has it that 13th-century Welsh prince Llewellyn of Glamorgan drank lemon balm tea every day and lived to be 108. Four centuries later, famed English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper recommended lemon balm for improving mood and stimulating the brain, the properties for which it’s best known today.
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