Uses:
Duration:
When to Sow:
Ease of Germination:
Lemon Balm |
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Uses: Duration: When to Sow: Ease of Germination:
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| Balm(Sweet, Lemon, Garden) | The following information is taken verbatim from the Grieve’s “A Modern Herbal”, 1931 [uncopyrighted]. These volumes are shown below for ordering. | |
Botanical Name |
Melissa officinalis | |
System Affected |
fever, persperation, bites, nerves, boils, herpes | |
Properties
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makes persperation (diaphoretic) feverish colds, astringent for mucous membranes, relieves headache taken cold relieves fever, taken hot makes perseration calms nerves menstration, organs boils (as poltice soaked overnight), insect stings, dog bites, toothache Lemon (Melissa): genital herpes, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, migraine, insomnia, shingles, antiviral | |
Description |
dried leaves of small tree | |
Origin |
S.Europe, US, MidEast, N.Africa | |
Notes |
taken as a tea | |
Toxicity |
none | |
Dosage |
Ms. Grieve doesn’t cover Lemon Balm in her work, so we’ve put together the following information garnered from various herbal medicinal texts:
Lemon Balm Essential Oil (Melissa)
Lemon Balm Essential Oil (Melissa) Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis Common Method Of Extraction: Steam distilled Parts Used: Flowering tops, leaves and stems Note Classification: Middle Aroma: Citrus, light, fresh Largest Producing Countries: USA , Hungary , Egypt , and Italy Traditional Use: Used extensively as a fragrance component in toiletries, cosmetics, and perfumes. Properties: Antibiotic, antidepressant, antihistaminic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antiviral, bactericidal, calmative, carminative, cordial, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, febrifuge, hypnotic, hypotensive, nervine, sedative, stimulant, stomachic, sudoforic, tonic, uterine, and vermifuge. Benefits: Allergies, amenorrhea, anxiety, asthma, bronchitis, calming, chronic coughs, colds, colic, depression, dysentery, eczema, fever, general tonic, headache, herpes, hypertension, hysteria, indigestion, infertility, insomnia, insect bites, intellectual fatigue, irritability, menstrual pain, migraine, nausea, nervous tension, palpitations, shock, sterility (women), stomach cramps, stress, vertigo, and vomiting. Blends Well With: Chamomile roman, frankincense, geranium, lavender, neroli, petitgrain, rose, and citrus oils. Of Interest: One of the earliest medicinal herbs – Paracelsus called it the ‘Elixir of Life’. Safety Data: Non-toxic, possible sensitization and dermal irritation; use in low dilutions only.
Scientific Name: Melissa officinalis
Common Name: Lemon Balm
Other Common Names: Balm, Common Balm, Cytria, Hashishat Al Nahil, Kovanutu, Lemon Balm, Lemonbalm, Nd, Ogulotu, Seiyo-Yama-Hakka, Sweet Balm, Toronjil, Tronjan
Plant Type: Perennial
Where To Plant: Full Sun to Partly Shady
Soil Types: Average
Germination: Easy
Uses: Culinary
Notes: Good for tea. Also in salads, soups, and stews.
MELISSA OFFICINALIS Fresh leaves burst of lemon when squeezed. A truly delightful tea made from the dried leaves is our favorite 'anytime' tea as it both stimulates the heart and calms the nerves. We urge everyone to try it. Fresh chopped leaves are also interesting in salads, soups and stews. Proven effective against herpes.
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