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Lemon balm
Habit (mature) · Joanna Boisse / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Limited coverage
Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis
A bushy, lemon-scented herbaceous perennial of the mint family, grown for its wrinkled, ovate medium-green leaves that crush to a bright citrus fragrance. Tiny two-lipped white-to-pale-yellow flowers appear in the leaf axils through summer and draw bees. Native to southern Europe, it has escaped gardens and naturalized across much of the U.S.; frequent pruning keeps it leafy, curbs self-seeding, and produces the most fragrant new growth.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: moderate (45/100)
Edible
Pollinator
Filler
Light
Full sun / Part sun / Part shade
Water
Low water
Mature size
18-24" tall · 18" apart
Hardy in zones
3a-7b
brutally cold to cold winters
Summer heat range
Cool-Warm
cool to warm summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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MBG notes it likes full sun in northern areas but appreciates some afternoon shade in hot-summer climates, and that it should avoid wet soils particularly in winter; no serious pests, though powdery mildew, leaf spot, leaf blight, and gray mold may occur.
Climate notes
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Marginal
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
✓→⚠
Well-suited today, but likely marginal by 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/lemon-balm
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Backs 1 field
Image
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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