🌿 Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis) — Organic Seeds

Common Names: Sweet Balm, Bee Balm (true Lemon Balm), Melissa

🌱 Seed Quality Promise

All seeds sold by Yahuah’s Farm are 100% organic, non-GMO, and never chemically treated or coated.
We do not sell pelleted, dyed, chemically enhanced, or synthetic-treated seeds.
What you plant should be as pure as the medicine it becomes.

About Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm is a bright, uplifting perennial herb treasured for its fresh lemon scent, gentle nature, and long history of traditional use. Native to Europe and Western Asia, it has been grown for centuries in monastery gardens, homesteads, and apothecaries as a calming, comforting, and restorative plant.

This plant forms lush green clumps, produces tiny white flowers loved by bees, and spreads gently over time. Once established, Lemon Balm is hardy, generous, and long-lived.

It is one of the most loved herbs in any garden — gentle, fragrant, and deeply useful.

Traditional & Herbal Uses

Lemon Balm has been traditionally used as:

• A calming tea herb
• A classic nervine
• A traditional mood-supporting plant
• A digestive-soothing herb
• A comforting daily tea
• A traditional household herb
• A gentle children’s herb
• A soothing botanical

The leaves and flowering tops are the primary parts traditionally used.

Plant Characteristics

Botanical Name: Melissa officinalis
Life Cycle: Perennial
Growth Habit: Bushy, spreading
Mature Height: 18–30 inches
Mature Width: 18–24 inches
Flower Color: Small white to pale yellow
Bloom Time: Late spring through summer
Aroma: Strong lemon scent
Attracts: Bees, butterflies, beneficial insects

Lemon Balm is one of the best plants for supporting pollinators.

Growing Lemon Balm from Seed

Lemon Balm is easy to grow and thrives in a wide range of conditions.

How to Germinate Lemon Balm Seeds

Surface Sowing (Important)

Lemon Balm seeds need light to germinate.

1. Scatter seeds on the soil surface.

2. Press lightly into soil.

3. Do NOT cover.

4. Keep soil consistently moist.

Germination Time

• 7–14 days
• Fast and reliable

Ideal Growing Conditions

USDA Zones

Zones 3–9

Sun

• Full sun preferred
• Tolerates partial shade

Soil

• Well-draining
• Loamy or sandy
• Moderate fertility

Water

• Moderate watering
• Drought tolerant once established

Spacing

• Space plants 12–18 inches apart
• Spreads gently over time

Growth Timeline

Weeks 1–2:
• Germination

Weeks 3–6:
• Leaf growth

Weeks 7–10:
• Flowering begins

Year 2+:
• Larger clumps
• Heavier harvests

Harvesting

Leaves & Flowering Tops

Harvest before full flowering for best aroma.

• Use fresh or dry
• Cut regularly to encourage bushy growth

Dry in a shaded, well-ventilated space.

Seed Saving

Lemon Balm self-seeds easily.

1. Allow flowers to mature and dry.

2. Rub seed heads gently.

3. Collect seeds.

4. Store cool, dark, and dry.

Why Grow Lemon Balm?

• One of the gentlest medicinal herbs
• Easy to grow
• Long-lived perennial
• Pollinator friendly
• Highly productive
• Wonderful fragrance
• Great tea herb
• Low maintenance
• Perfect for beginners