Herb of the Week: Lemon Balm

Melissa officinalis L.

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis L.) is a member of the Mint family and is an easy to grow hardy perennial to zone 4. We will teach you how to grow lemon balm today. This is a great herb to start your herb garden with. It has many medicinal benefits and smells great. You might want to put it in a pot outdoors, (although you can grow it indoors too,) because it spreads like crazy.

How to Grow:

Plant seeds in soilless seeding medium like Pro Mix or similar 6-8 weeks before transplanting outdoors, barely covering seeds with the soilless medium. Keep seeding medium slightly moist but not wet. I prefer to bottom water my seeding pots and trays by placing them in solid, water holding bottom tray.

If you direct seed outdoors you’ll get some to grow too, and eventually the plants will become prolific and spread. You may also purchase seedlings at a garden center during springtime. This plant grows 24-48 inches and can take full sun or part shade. Dead head flowers if you do not want Lemon Balm to spread in your garden.

Where to Get Seeds/ Dried Leaves:

Lemon Balm seeds are readily available. I buy my lemon balm seeds from High Mowing Organic Seeds.

• Get Lemon Balm Seeds Online Here
• Mountain Rose Herbs sells loose leaf Lemon Balm tea
• I sell Lemon Balm tea in 1 Pint Ball jars

Medicinal Uses for Lemon Balm

Use leaves as tea, tincture or essential oil.

• Cold/ Flu / Fever Fighter – It will make you sweat it out (diaphoretic action) and is also anti viral.
• Anti- Anxiety Herb – ( nervine herb) Gently soothes nervous system and has even been used for children as a calmative.
• ADHD Help – Protects brain from over stimulation – many people include it in their ADHD wellness program.
• Allergy Help – Use as a natural anti histamine.
• Graves Disease – Studies indicate that Lemon Balm can inhibit Grave’s disease.
• See more lemon balm uses here.

How to Make Lemon Balm Tea

Use a sprig of fresh stem with leaves or 1 teaspoon of dried leaves to 8 oz. hot water. In our family we use about double this amount in order to get all the medicinal and vitamin kick we can.

Have a great time exploring with and growing with medicinal herbs. If you would like help with natural and alternative wellness solutions let me know.

Information contained herein is for educational purposes. Herbal materials are not approved by the FDA and are not meant to diagnose, treat or cure. See your healthcare professional for such.