Lemon balm full#
Lemon balm free#

There has also been some indication that it may reduce agitation in AlzheimerРІР‚в„ўs patients. Lemon balm is said to have some effect at relieving stress, anxiety, headaches, nausea, indigestion, cold sores and insomnia, as well as some positive effect on cognitive function. Now, when it comes to medicinal uses, this herb has a long list of areas in which it has shown benefit, either anecdotally or in studies. Lemon balm can be infused in cosmetics, like lip balm, and it also makes an excellent addition to a batch of potpourri. Or crumble fresh leaves between your fingers to ward off unwelcome insects. You can use lemon balm to make your own insect repellant, thanks to the high concentration of citronellal in the plant. Lemon balm is useful outside the kitchen, too. And you can even make candied flowers from the blossoms-how delicately delightful! ItРІР‚в„ўs delicious when used in poultry recipes and also pairs well with fish. How about ice cream? Salad dressings? Cake? Lemon balm can be chopped fresh and added to an array of sweet and savory recipes from salads and soups to butter and bread. You can also make lemon balm syrups that are then used in baked goods or beverages. It can be delicious in iced or hot tea, punch and juice. Lemon balm is probably best known for its use in teas. But itРІР‚в„ўs also wonderful in cooking, baking and beverages. One of the best ways to use lemon balm is to simply crush the leaves with your fingers and smell the glorious lemon scent. You can also freeze it in vegetable oil or water. Lemon balm is often used fresh, but if you want to preserve it, just hang it upside down in small bunches to dry. If you donРІР‚в„ўt want it to spread, trim back the plant before it goes to seed. There are lots of opinions about the best time to harvest it for peak flavor, so you may want to experiment to find the sweet spot. ItРІР‚в„ўs generally hardy to USDA zone 4-it overwintered in my zone 4a garden and came back beautifully in the spring. You can establish this herb by seed, by division, or by stem cuttings. Allow generous spacing between plants and donРІР‚в„ўt be afraid to thin your lemon balm by harvesting stems to allow more air to circulate. Powdery mildew can be an issue (unless you choose a cultivar that has some resistance), but you can help prevent the disease by providing good airflow around plants. Animals generally avoid it, so you donРІР‚в„ўt have to worry about deer decimating your lemon balm plants.

Lemon balm free#

ItРІР‚в„ўs even possible to grow it indoors although it isnРІР‚в„ўt considered ideal.Р”В«ut the good attributes donРІР‚в„ўt stop there: lemon balm is also relatively free from pests and diseases.

Lemon balm full#

It is a member of the mint family, and it shares mintРІР‚в„ўs tendency to take over the garden, although unlike mint, lemon balm spreads mostly by seed.Р”В®asy to grow (after all, itРІР‚в„ўs a mint!), it isnРІР‚в„ўt particularly picky about its situation and can do well in full sun or part sun, in well-drained soil or soil thatРІР‚в„ўs slightly moist, in garden beds or in containers. But donРІР‚в„ўt confuse it with bee balm! Bees love both plants and both are РІР‚Сљbalms,РІР‚Сњ however, lemon balm is completely distinct from bee balm ( Monarda didyma). This is a bushy and compact plant that reaches approximately 2 feet tall and wide and produces delicate pale flowers that bees adore. In 2007, the International Herb Association honored it as its Herb of the Year, a designation that recognizes superlative herbs that are РІР‚Сљoutstanding in at least two of the three major categories: medicinal, culinary or decorative.РІР‚Сњ Lemon balm amply meets the criteria.Р”Р„ closer look at its botanical name reveals more: Melissa is Greek for honey bee, while officinalis is a Latin word related to medicine. Its presence in North America is said to date back to Colonial times, and by the 1820s, lemon balm seeds were regularly advertised in newspapers along with other herbs and plants.Р”Р‡ast forward about 200 years. Lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis) is native to Europe, but over the centuries it has naturalized widely across the globe. Shakespeare mentioned it in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Homer referred to it in The Odyssey. It may not have achieved the fame of those herbal staples basil and mint, but lemon balm might surprise you with its versatility and its long history. ItРІР‚в„ўs sometimes called common balm, garden balm, balm mint, dropsy plant, honey plant, Melissa, sweet balm or heartРІР‚в„ўs delight-but itРІР‚в„ўs usually known as lemon balm. ItРІР‚в„ўs easy to overlook amongst the sunflowers and the summer squash and the snapdragons.Р”В«ut letРІР‚в„ўs take a closer look at this unobtrusive and unassuming herb. As your eyes drift across the garden, you might not immediately notice the bushy herb with the jagged-edged leaves.