Patchmates
Sign in
Back

Herb · Easy to grow

Lemon balm

Melissa officinalis · also Melissa, Balm

A hardy, lemon-scented herb in the mint family, used fresh or dried for tea. In Adelaide it grows best with afternoon shade and regular water, and can scorch in full summer sun. It self-seeds and spreads, so a pot keeps it tidy.

When to plant where you live

Checking your area…

Add lemon balm to my garden

Planting times for other areas

Varieties (2)

  • Common lemon balmGreen leaves; the standard herb-stand plant
  • Golden lemon balm ('Aurea')Gold-splashed leaves; needs shade to avoid burning

Neighbours

Grows well with

From seed to plate

  1. Plant

    45 cm apart. Full sun or part shade.

  2. Water

    Keep lightly moist.

  3. Feed

    Light feed in spring.

  4. Pick, from about 9 weeks

    Pick leaves before flowering.

Good to know

  • Cut back by half in summer for fresh, leafy regrowth
  • Use fresh leaves for the best flavour; dried leaves lose scent
  • Divide clumps in autumn or spring

Common problems

  • Scorched leaves in hot sungive afternoon shade and water deeply in heatwaves
  • Seedlings popping up everywherecut off flower heads before they set seed
  • Powdery mildew in late summercut back and improve airflow

If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.

Ask the garden helper about lemon balmAny question, answered from the plant libraryHow others are growing lemon balmQuestions, tips and harvests from the community

Wildlife

Good for: bees.

Where this information comes from

Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 29 Oct 2026. Version 1.