The Herbarium
Print plate
Lemon balm botanical plate

Herb. No. 008 · Lamiaceae

RangeFig. atlas
Approximate native range — a teaching atlas, not a survey

Eastern Mediterranean mint, naturalized across temperate gardens.

Native · Mediterranean · Europe

Native Also grownNow a garden plant worldwide
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Lemon balm

Melissa officinalis

Medicinal herbsKitchenHarvestCompanions

Lemon-scented mint for fretful moods, a racing mind, and cold-sore lips.

Melissa is a staple of European monastic gardens. Citral and other terpenes give the lemon scent. Traditional use is as a gentle nervine and carminative; topical cream has data for herpes labialis. Fresh leaf is far more fragrant than dried.

Flavor

Fresh lemon peel over green mint. Dried leaf is quieter.

Parts used

Aerial parts

Helpful

  • Safe kitchen herb
  • Bees adore the flowers
  • Topical use is well described

Cautions

  • Theoretical thyroid-slowing at high dose
  • Flavor fades fast when dried poorly

Field assistant

Ask about traditional use, safety, or the law. The assistant will not teach illegal cultivation or give medical orders.

Related symptoms

anxietyinsomniaindigestioncold sores

Teas with this plant

Remedies with this plant

  • Evening wind-down cup

    Adult: one 8 oz cup, 45–60 minutes before bed. Not a second pot. Children: skip, or a clinician’s advice — this folio doses adults.

  • Milky oat and linden

    Adult: 1 handful (about 1–2 tbsp) oatstraw per 12 oz, once daily. Linden: 1 tbsp evening. Skullcap: 1 tsp, not a quart.

Harvest this plant

When to cut, how to dry, and how to store it — garden and kitchen crops only.

Open harvest notes

Companion planting

3 to plant with · keep this one in a pot.

Open companion beds