Melissa officinalis

Name: Melissa officinalis
SKU: pda166
Availability: InStock

A perennial plant in the mint family that is adored by bees, royal families and tea drinkers.

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Tags: aromatique, comestible, medicinal, persistant, potted plant, secheresse, soleil, vivace SKU: pda166 Category: Balcony-Friendly, Bees and Butterflies, Bouquet, Culinary, Distillations, Evergreen, Fragrant, Frost Hardy, Ground Cover, Medicinal, Rewild

Melissa officinalis often is a fast-spreading, fragrant herb – an essential ingredient for many perfumes and sweets.

The leaves are heart-shaped and have a rough, veined surface. They are soft and hairy with scalloped edges, and have a mild lemony scent.

The flowers – small and pink, are largely insignificant compared to the foliage of this variation.

The Tales:

One of the longest living medicinal plants, Melissa can live for over 10 years.

It is adored by bees (“Melissa” actually means Honey Bee in Greek)

Lemon balm was a favourite plant of the Tudors, who scattered the leaves across their floors to cover all sorts of unpleasant odors.

It was also believed at that time that it could drive away ‘heavyness of mind’ and to open “obstructions of the brain” – from the work of English botanist Nicholas Culpeper.7

It was introduced to North America by the first colonists from Europe and was cultivated in the Gardens of Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia (these were designed by the Thomas Jefferson himself!)

So this is no simple herb – this is a stately herb.

Though today it is largely used for the flavoring of sweeties, for essential oil production and in the perfume industry.