Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) is one of my top 5 favorite herbs and for a good reason.
Lemon Balm is typically used in teas either by itself or alongside other herbs for its calming properties to help aid in relaxation and calm anxiety, which is why I love it. I have struggled with anxiety throughout my life, and using herbs such as Lemon Balm has been a great help. I drink lemon balm tea by itself, add it into other teas, and I have a calming tea blend that I drink (and sell) that combines lemon balm, chamomile, lavender, and spearmint. It’s a nice, refreshing blend that I love drinking before bed or if I’m feeling a little anxious.
It’s also extremely tasty and adds a great lemon flavor if you don’t have lemons. I love popping lemon balm into my water for an extra fresh flavor.
I have grown lemon balm for a few years from a purchased start that I got from a local nursery a while back and it comes back each year, but I decided to start some additional lemon balm plants from seed this year to up my lemon balm production. So far the plants are doing great, but the seeds did take a little longer than expected to germinate, so just be aware that it may not be poor germination but just a slower process to come up. I have read that lemon balm seeds need cold stratification to germinate, but I did not do that this time and they all came up, it just took longer. I will probably try that next time to compare the process.
If you decide you would like to add lemon balm to your garden (which I highly recommend), a good tip is that lemon balm is in the mint family, which means that it will grow pretty aggressively and can take over a garden bed pretty easily. Just make sure to plant it either in a container, or a small garden bed that you are fine with it taking over. I love lemon balm, so it has its dedicated garden area in a small bed and I am fine with it taking that over. Happy growing!
*This is intended for general knowledge only and is not a substitute for speaking with your general practitioner. I always recommend doing your research before introducing any new herbal remedies into your routine. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding any health-related concern.