Plant Needs.... Planting site Hardiness: Hardy in UK/Ireland/Scottish Highlands Zones 5 to 9 (-29C to -1C / -20F to 30F) Border/container: Borders Sun/shade: Likes sun; tolerates part shade, light shade, dense shade Soil type: Any Soil pH: Acid (ericaceous), Alkaline, Neutral Moisture: Dry and shady, well drained soil Hazardous: No
Use For... Ground cover, Rabbit resistant, Bee attraction, Butterfly attraction
Description... This is grown for its wonderful, sweet lemon scent. The plant is unexciting but hearty and healthy. It has rounded, ovate, rich-green, veined leaves of lush appearance. It has insignificant white flowers and forms a substantial, sometimes flopping, mound. The name balm is derived from the word balsam, the sweet scented oil. It is possible to make a herbal tea from the foliage. John Hussey, who lived in Sydenham and died aged 116 years drank balm tea with honey for fifty years.
Typically available as
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
Seeds
(GA0)
(GA3)
(GA6)
(GA9)
Bulbs
(GA1)
(GA4)
(GA7)
(GA10)
Plants
(GA2)
(GA5)
(GA8)
(GA11)
Melissa officinalis
Planting your new plant
Water the plant thoroughly when you get it home, and plant out as soon as possible. Make the hole for the plant larger that the pot it is in and the same depth. When removing the plant from the pot, squeeze the sides of the pot to loosen it. Loosen the roots of the plant, put the plant in the hole spreading the roots to encourage them to grow outwards. Fill round the edges of the rootball with soil to the same level as the surrounding soil.
Care for your plant
Plants in containers need plant food to thrive when in growth. Seek advice from your retailer regarding best product(s). Follow the packet instructions when applying plant food. Remove fading flowers to encourage fresh ones.
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