| Scientific Name: | Melissa officinalis |
| Common Name: | lemon balm |
| Family Name: | Lamiaceae |
| Origin: | Europe |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Herbaceous perennial |
| Mature Size: | 0.7 - 1.3m x 0.3 - 0.6m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Dense, Spreading, Upright |
| Form: | Round |
| Texture: | Medium |
| Landscape Uses: | Attract beneficial insects, Container planting, Dried flower or fruit, Fragrance, Ground cover, Herb, Medicinal plant, Perennial border, Summer interest |
| Exposure: | Full sun, Part sun/part shade |
| Soil or Media: | Humus rich |
| Leaves: | Simple, Opposite, Soft flexible, Heavily veined, Pinnate venation, Pubescent, Glandular hairs, Distinctive smell, Ovate, Dentate |
| Flowers: | Spike, White, Yellow, Pink, Jul-Aug |
| Fruit: | Schizocarp, Brown, Sep-Oct |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Stems 4-sided; leaves opposite, ovate, up to 7cm long, and smell of lemons when crushed; flowers axial, petals initially pale yellow, opening white or light pink, and then more pinkish as they whither, two-lipped, most 9mm long x <5mm wide. | |