Lemon Balm

Description

Open-pollinated. The Greek word Melissa means ‘honeybee’; the plant in flower attracts them. Perennial growing to 2′. Gather its yellow-green scalloped lemony leaves before plants flower. Delicious in salads, as a tea, with fruit, or dried for sachets. Flowers are edible. Essential oil of lemon balm smells fabulous and is highly effective against cold sores, but is very expensive. Steep multiple batches of leaves in olive oil to make an infused oil, one of the many ways to enjoy this relaxing calming comforting uplifting herb all winter. Our customers last year seemed to be taking their Covid preparations for winter seriously; we went back four times to order more seed. Likes very well-drained fertile soil; wet ground may winterkill it more than cold. However, tends to self-sow in the same years that the roots winterkill. Zone 4. Especially attractive to pollinators.