Herb Of The Week - Lemon Balm (Melissa)

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http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/med-aro/factsheets/LEMON_BALM.html

 

LEMON BALM

Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae), Melissa officinalis L.

 

 

Source: Simon, J.E., A.F. Chadwick and L.E. Craker. 1984. Herbs: An

Indexed Bibliography. 1971-1980. The Scientific Literature on Selected

Herbs, and Aromatic and Medicinal Plants of the Temperate Zone. Archon

Books, 770 pp., Hamden, CT.

 

 

 

Lemon balm, Melissa officinalis L., a perennial herb native to southern

climates of Europe and North America, is presently found in both wild

and cultivated states. Several other species of Melissa have been

reported from the Mediterranean and central Asian areas, but only

Melissa officinalis L. is cultivated. The plant grows erect and reaches

a height of 0.5 to 1 meter.

 

 

 

The reported life zone of balm is 7 to 23 degrees centigrade with 0.5 to

1.3 meters annual precipitation and a soil pH of 4.5 to 7.8 (4.1-31).

The plant, which develops best in full sun and deep soil, is sensitive

to cold temperature and excessive or inadequate water levels in the

soil.

 

 

 

Horticulturally, lemon balm is grown as an annual or perennial,

harvested only once at flowering during the first year and twice in

subsequent years. Significant loss of aroma sometimes occurs during

drying. Both the white and pink flowers, which blossom from middle to

late summer, and the vegetative portion of the plant are known to

attract honeybees (1.8-38). The name of the genus, Melissa, comes from

the Greek word meaning " bee, " attesting to the early recognition of this

characteristic (14.1-3). Irrigation does not appear to alter the

essential oil in balm (4.5-167).

 

 

 

The volatile oil, obtained by steam distillation of plant material

immediately after harvest, is used only limitedly in perfumery because

of perfumers are able to simulate the odor of lemon balm with less

expensive extracts of other aromatic plants. The oil content of fresh

leaves averages 0.1 percent or less with a large range between 0.01 and

0.13% (14.1-8). Multiple harvests and optimum horticultural practices

have been reported to increase the percent of extractable essential oil

(4.3-15). The highest levels of essential oil have been extracted in

late summer from the lower parts of the plants (4.3-15). The essential

oil contains geraniol, citronellol, cintronellal, linalool, eugenol

acetate, and nerol. The essential oil is often adulterated with mixtures

of lemongrass, citronella, or lemon oil (14.1-8).

 

 

 

The green, lemony-scented, aromatic leaves are used both fresh and dried

as a seasoning in salad dressings, sauces, soups, meats, vegetables,

desserts, and confections. Dried leaves are often used in potpourris. As

a flavoring agent, balm is used in some alcoholic beverages and liqueurs

and in herbal teas. Several varieties, including a variegated type, are

available for ornamental uses, especially as border plants in gardens.

 

 

 

As a medicinal plant, lemon balm has traditionally been employed against

catarrh, fever, flatulence, headaches, influenza, and toothaches. It has

also been used as a carminative, diaphoretic, and sedative. Recent

evidence suggests that lemon balm has a depressant or sedative action on

the central nervous systems of laboratory mice, (7.5-90). Oil of balm

has also been shown to have antiviral, antibacterial, and antispasmodic

activity. Lemon balm has been reported to be an insect repellent

(11.1-96).

 

 

 

Bee balm (Monarda spp.), often confused with lemon balm, is a separate

member of the Labiatae family.

 

 

 

Lemon balm is generally considered safe for human consumption as a

spice/natural flavoring and a plant/oil extract (21 CFR section 182.10,

182.20 [1982]).

 

 

 

 

[Note: References listed above in parentheses can be found in full in

the original reference].

 

Online since 1995, NewCROP (New Crops Resource Online Program) is an

information-rich site related to crop plants. It is a project of the

Purdue University Center for New Crops and Plant Products and is

associated with the New Crop Diversification project and the Jefferson

Institute.

 

Acknowledgements:

Funding provided by the Indiana Business Modernization and Technology

Corporation and the Indiana Center for New Crops and Plant Products,

Indiana Value-Added Grant Program, and the Jefferson Institute.