A honey of a lemon

Flower & Garden Magazine, Jan-Feb, 1997 by Lee Mitchell

Some of the most delightful additions to my perennial beds have been acquired because the plants aroused my curiosity. And Melissa officinalis was certainly no exception. It was during an annual spring browsing at a local nursery that this intriguing perennial caught my attention -- not by its looks but by a rolling, robust burst of lemon.

Let me reintroduce the perennial Melissa officinalis, commonly called lemon balm and aptly so. Though this herb is simple in appearance, it packs a whopping lemon scent. As a lover of lemon scents, I was hooked. I selected a seedling in a 2-inch pot and planted it along the curve of my perennial bed.

Lemon balm grew quickly that first summer, becoming a graceful, erect plant about 32 inches wide and 24 inches tall. I learned early that the more I trimmed the fragrant leaflets. the more it yielded. The increasing greenery spread among my flowering perennials, casting a flourishing lush backdrop. By late summer, lemon balm produced its own blossoms -- small, ivory-buttered flowers delicately springing from the sprigs of green. After I headed back the plant again, it continued to prosper through fall right up to the first hard frost.

The pleasing performance of lemon balm's first season intrigued me enough to get to know this herb better. Lemon balm comes from the Labiatae family, which includes several mints. But unlike some mints, lemon balm is easy to contain since it doesn't spread by underground runners. Some other common names attached to lemon balm include melissa, sweet balm and bee balm.

The common name "bee balm" reflects the association between bees and this perennial. The arrival of lemon balm in my garden brought an increase in the number of visiting bees. The bees absolutely loved this new addition, selecting it first before whirring on to pollinate the neighboring flowers. The word "bee" in Greek is "melissa," supporting the choice of lemon balm's generic name. But bees aren't alone in their enthusiasm for this perennial -- records exist to support our own excitement.

The ancient Greeks used lemon balm as a skin treatment for wounds. Later in the Middle East, it was thought to relieve nervousness and anxiety. "Melissa water," or eau de melisse, became widely popular throughout Europe as a sedative tonic. The herb became a necessary ingredient in Medieval wines because physicians and herbalists claimed it lifted depression and made hearts merrier. Soon the plant's reputation as a cure-all expanded to include treatments for headaches, toothaches, arthritis, insomnia, cold sores and indigestion.

With the advent of modern medicine, lemon balm's usefulness declined. But for the gardener today, a number of its valuable benefits can be rediscovered. It thrives in Zones 5 to 9, adapting to both cold winters and hot summers. It prefers rich, moist soil and afternoon shade in areas with high temperatures. Partial shade during hot afternoons will prevent the leaves from wilting and ensure production. If the summers are mild, lemon balm will prosper in full sun. This herb is also great for planting among shortterm perennials. It adds a graceful foliage background all season long in your perennial bed, filling in any bare spots. Many herb gardeners prevent the plant from setting seed by clipping off the pale blooms; otherwise, the resultant seedlings can become a nuisance.

Indoors, lemon balm makes an irresistible debut in the kitchen or bath. A couple of leaves added to a glass of iced tea provides the complements of real lemons. A simple drink made from only the balm leaves with a sprinkle of sugar is delightfully soothing. Use lemon balm on grilled fish and mushrooms, on soft cheeses and sweet sauces, or on anything to which you'd add a dash of lemon. And for a wonderful summer bath, several leaves bundled together inside a cloth and placed beneath the running water will work a tranquil magic. Lie back and let its fragrance relax and refresh you.

Seedlings of lemon balm are easy enough to find at garden centers in spring -- just don't confuse it with another perennial, Monarda, that is also listed as bee balm. After selecting your lemon balm, choose a site that gets plenty of morning light but is protected from hot afternoon sun. Leave at least 1 foot of space between plants. Keep the seedlings moist. This route will most likely provide the quickest results.

If seedlings are not available in your area, the perennial can easily be grown from seed. Germination is slow, taking between two and four weeks. The seeds can be started indoors to provide an early start or may be sown directly into the ground after the last frost. Again, keep the seeds moist. Thin seedlings to 1 foot apart when they reach about 2 inches tall.

Lemon balm can also be started from cuttings or root divisions from an existing plant in the early fall or spring. Another method to expand your existing crop is to take a long stem while it is still attached to the parent plant and bury it in moist soil, allowing a few inches of the tip to remain above the surface. In a few weeks, new roots will develop along the buried stem, and the new plant can be dug up and separated from its parent.