Organic Lemon Balm (1 oz)

Lemon Balm - Mellissa officinalis

Perennial Lemon Balm is a member of the mint family and has fragrant lemon-scented leaves and clusters of small white flowers that are attractive to bees. Lemon Balm's botanical name "Melissa" is Greek for "honey bee". The leaves can be used for flavoring teas, ice cream, fruit or in pesto and also have medicinal qualities. Lemon Balm is often included in sachets and potpourris.

Soil and Water: Lemon Balm does best in well-drained sandy soil with moderate watering.

Planting and Growing: Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Lemon Balm grows in USDA zones 4-9 but will need well drained, sandy soil and a winter mulch to survive in colder zones. It readily self-seeds and clumps will expand over time.

Harvesting and Storage: Leaves can be harvested at any time, but best flavor is from leaves harvested before the plant flowers and used fresh. Leaves can also be dried flat or hung, frozen in ice cube trays with water or processed in a dehydrator.

Did You Know? Lemon Balm is used as a flavoring in some toothpastes.

Soil Temperature: 70°F
Planting Depth: 1/8"
Germination: 14-21 Days
Height At Maturity: 24"-36"
Sun/Shade: Partial Sun
Spacing After Thinning: 12"-15"
Approx Seeds per Pack: 50 Seeds