Lemon Balm Seeds

Grow lemon balm for its ease of cultivation and its multiple uses as a culinary herb, aromatic addition to the home, and medicinal plant that can help with stress, anxiety, sleep, and digestion. It also attracts beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies, and can even repel mosquitoes. Its vibrant fragrance and bright yellow-green leaves can also enhance the beauty of a garden.

Lemon Balm was dedicated to the goddess Diana, and used medicinally by the Greeks some 2,000 years ago. In the Middles Ages lemon balm was used to soothe tension, to dress wounds, and as a cure for toothache, skin eruptions, mad dog bites, crooked necks, and sickness during pregnancy. It was even said to prevent baldness.
As a medicinal plant, lemon balm has traditionally been employed against bronchial inflammation, earache, fever, flatulence, headaches, high blood pressure, influenza, mood disorders, palpitations, toothache and vomiting. A tea made from Lemon balm leaves is said to soothe menstrual cramps and helps relieve PMS.

The herb is used for nervous agitation, sleeping problems, functional gastrointestinal complaints, menstrual cramps and urinary spasms.

It is thought that the volatile oils in lemon balm contain chemicals that relax muscles, particularly in the bladder, stomach, and uterus, thereby relieving cramps, gas, and nausea.

Useful gardening information

Growing lemon balm is a warm weather activity. After all danger of frost has past, set lemon balm plants 20 to 24 inches apart in rich soil where it will receive some shade during the day. Lemon balm will remain green during mild winters, such as those in zones 9 and 10.
This plant responds well to cutting, growing back twice as thick. Whenever your plant is looking tired due to drought, hail, insects, or other stress, just cut it back and let it rejuvenate itself with fresh, new growth. Lemon balm likes rich, moist, but well-drained soil with a pH of 6 to 7. Because most people harvest it continually for lots of leaves, lemon balm needs a little fertilizer.
When planting, add a coated, slow-release fertilizer such as 20-20-20 at the rate recommended on the label, or work plenty of organic nutrients from compost, blood meal, or cottonseed meal into the soil.

Links to useful information on the web:

Lemon Balm uses ( Botanical.com )

HR105 Lemon Balm ( Melissa officinalis )

One of the most beloved herbs in the world, treasured for its delightful lemon fragrance, attractive foliage, traditional herbal uses, and exceptional versatility. A member of the mint family, this hardy perennial forms lush mounds of bright green leaves that release a refreshing citrus scent whenever touched, making it a favorite in herb gardens, tea gardens, pollinator plantings, and patio containers.

For centuries, Lemon Balm has been cultivated in monastery gardens, cottage gardens, and medicinal herb gardens throughout Europe and beyond. Its cheerful appearance, pleasant fragrance, and ease of cultivation have earned it a place among the most widely grown herbal plants.

The aromatic leaves are commonly used fresh or dried in herbal teas, fruit drinks, lemonades, desserts, jellies, salads, and potpourris. The pleasant lemon flavor blends beautifully with mint, chamomile, lavender, and other herbs, making Lemon Balm one of the most useful plants for homemade tea blends.

During summer, plants produce clusters of small white flowers that are highly attractive to bees and beneficial insects. In fact, the botanical name Melissa is derived from the Greek word for honeybee, reflecting the plant's long-standing reputation as an excellent bee plant.

Uses and Benefits

Fresh lemon fragrance and flavor.
One of the finest herbs for teas and tea blends.
Excellent in lemonades, desserts, and fruit dishes.
Traditional medicinal herb with centuries of use.
Outstanding pollinator and bee plant.
Attracts butterflies and beneficial insects.
Beautiful addition to herb gardens.
Excellent for potpourri and sachets.
Suitable for edible landscapes.
Easy to grow and highly productive.
Excellent container herb.
Returns year after year as a hardy perennial.

Hardiness Zones

Lemon Balm is a hardy perennial in USDA Zones 4-9.

Germination Instructions

Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost or sow outdoors after danger of frost has passed.
Press seeds lightly onto the soil surface.
Do not cover deeply, as light aids germination.
Maintain temperatures between 65-75°F (18-24°C).
Keep soil evenly moist during germination.
Seeds typically germinate in 10-21 days.
Provide bright light after seedlings emerge.

Growing Tips

Plant in full sun to partial shade.
Prefers fertile, well-drained soil.
Harvest foliage frequently for best flavor.
Cut plants back periodically to encourage fresh growth.
Allow some flowers to bloom for pollinators.
Excellent for herb gardens, tea gardens, and pollinator plantings.
May self-sow in favorable conditions.

Container Growing

Lemon Balm is exceptionally well suited for container culture and is often easier to manage in pots than in garden beds. Use a container at least 10-12 inches deep with good drainage. Regular harvesting encourages dense, bushy growth and provides a continual supply of fragrant leaves throughout the growing season.

Combining delightful fragrance, culinary versatility, traditional herbal value, and outstanding pollinator appeal, Lemon Balm is one of the most rewarding herbs a gardener can grow. Whether planted for tea, bees, butterflies, potpourri, or simply its refreshing citrus scent, this easy-care perennial brings beauty and usefulness to every garden.

3689 Quedlingburger Lemon Balm ( 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.
Finely chop fresh leaves into salads, white sauce for fish, fruit drinks, mayonnaise, sauerkraut, pasta, fish, chicken, pork, marinades, ice cream and herbal teas. Add to blended vinegars, try this lemon balm with tarragon. Substitute for lemon juice in jam making. Proven effective against herpes.
A strong lemon balm tea is a great substitute for lemon juice in many recipes. Quedlinburger Niederliegende is higher in essential oil content than common lemon balm, and is very productive as well. Lemon balm tea, when sweetened with honey, is used medicinally to help with stress, indigestion, and headaches.
Quedlingburger is a taller variety, up to 24 inches tall. Good oil content at about 0.2 percent. Can be grown as an annual or good outside for zones 5-9.

All seed packets listed on this page are in stock and ready to ship.