Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis
LAMIACEAE, The Mint family
A good plant to use for grey water filter planters, along with daylilies and sedges: according to Tom Ward.
Also purportedly a refrigerant - a sun tea made from the fresh leaves can cool the body temperature on a warm day and a hot tea made during flu season can reduce fever. It is an anti-oxidant that is said to have anti-viral and mild antibacterial properties. Topically it is used as an insect repellant.
Lemon balm is a pretty, perennial herb that blooms white flowers in late summer and is a favorite of bees, for which the genus is named.
Quando abitato in Italia, tutti hanno detto, “Ah, il fiore!” quando loro hanno mi incontriamo. Il mio nome non e molto comune ci. Hanno pronunciato “meh-LEEE-suh.” La mia familia dire “mull-IHs-uh”, “mull-lyss”, “miss-uh” o “Liz” (oppure qualchevolta “Lizard”.)
The species name just means “the medicinal one.”
Lemon balm can be a bit weedy in the garden and has widely naturalized in woodlands and roadsides. I noticed it recently throughout forest park.
It is a delicious addition to raspberry lemonade. Alas, next summer.
