Description
Wild Lemon Balm Dried Cut Leaves
Scientific name: Melissa Officinalis
Harvest : July 2023
Expiration Date: Provided on the package
Melissa officinalis, known as lemon balm, balm, common balm, or balm mint, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to south-central Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean region, and Central Asia.
Melissa is a genus of perennial herbs in the Lamiaceae, native to Europe and Asia but cultivated and naturalized in many other places.The name Melissa is derived from the Greek word mélissa meaning honey, owing to the abundance of nectar in the flowers. The stems are square, like most other plants in the mint family. The leaves are borne in opposite pairs on the stems, and are usually ovate or heart-shaped and emit a lemony scent when bruised. Axillary spikes of white or yellowish flowers appear in the summer.
The most commonly grown species of this genus is Melissa officinalis, commonly known in the United States as lemon balm, and as balm in England.
Lemon balm is used for digestive problems, including upset stomach, bloating, intestinal gas (flatulence), vomiting, and colic for pain, including menstrual cramps, headache and toothache and for mental disorders, including hysteria and melancholia.
Many people believe lemon balm has calming effects so they take it for anxiety, sleep problems, and restlessness. Lemon balm is also used for Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), an autoimmune disease involving the thyroid (Graves’ disease), swollen airways, rapid heartbeat due to nervousness, high blood pressure, sores, tumors, and insect bites.
Lemon balm is inhaled as aromatherapy for Alzheimer’s disease.
Some people apply lemon balm to their skin to treat cold sores (herpes labialis).
In foods and beverages, the extract and oil of lemon balm are used for flavoring.
