Common names:
Lemon balm, balm mint
Family:
Scientific name:
Melissa officinalis
Main flower color:
Range:
England and Wales, and small areas in Scotland. An introduced species, from Mediterranean countries and west Asia
Height:
Up to 120 cm
Habitat:
Waste ground, verges, hedgebanks
Flowers:
In whorls at the leaf nodes. The calyx is hairy, with a broad upper lip topped with three narrow, bristle-like teeth, and a similar length lower lip divided into two much larger teeth, or lobes. The corolla is yellow in bud, white when mature, with a short, upturned upper lip and lower downturned lower lip. Only a small number of calyces contain a corolla in bloom at any one time
Leaves:
Opposite, ovate, prominently veined, lined by regular teeth. Hairy, especially on the margins and the underside of the midvein. Lemon-scented
Season:
August to September
Rarity:
★★★★★
