![]() ![]() It was an essential herb for the ancient Greeks and as early as the 8th century, the French emperor Charlemagne drank lemon balm tea every day to prevent illness and so he ordered that the herb be grown in every garden. Its leaves and flowers have been used to make a tea to treat nervous disorders and other illnesses. It was used to help domesticated bees not stray away from their hives. If it remains unchecked, this plant can spread in the garden naturally.Īs long as it gets lots of sunshine, you can even grow this plant in a flower pot and have fresh lemon balm right in your own home.įor more than 2000 years lemon balm has been cultivated and used for its medicinal properties and for its ability to attract honey bees. ![]() Lemon balm blooms in the summer when it is covered in beautiful small white or yellow tube-shaped flowers. Its leaves have a minty lemony scent that is more intense when the leaves are bruised. It has small mint-green heart-shaped leaves with serrated edges and covered in a soft fine hair. This is an easy to grow plant that can reach 70-150cm in height. You may find this herb under other names such as: bee balm, balm mint, cure-all, honey plant, sweet balm or bee herb. Its Latin name Melissa actually comes from the Greek, meaning "honey bee" because it attracts bees for the production of honey, while the English name refers to its citrusy and balsamic nature. Lemon balm, melissa officinalis in Latin, is a quick-growing perennial herb native to southern Europe and northern Africa, but today it may be found growing around to the world. ![]()
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