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Materia Media - Melissa Officinalis
Materia Media - Melissa Officinalis
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
V 100814
Grow
Uses
Lore
Store
References
Commentary Leaf
Conservation Stem
Growth Habit Flower
Classification Fruit
Related Plants Seed
Root
Commentary Exposure
Life Cycle Climate
Pests/Diseases Medium
Care
Harvest
Propagation
Commentary History
Also Called Latin
Folklore
As an experiment I cut the top paired leaves and a few days later a white
dot formed at the top two nodes down from the cutting. These white
nodes shortly formed into its own paired leaves. The surface of the CLASSIFICATION
leaves had several opaque hairs as seen through a hand lens. These
hairs are only on the top surface with several of these same hairs KINGDOM
running along the inner length of the stem that attached to the leaf. Plantae (Plants)
DIVISION
Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
CLASS
Magnoliopsida (Dicotylendons)
ORDER
Lamiales
FAMILY
Lamiaceae (Mint family)
GENUS
Melissa (balm)
SPECIES
Melissa officinalis L.
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Lemon Balm
Genus:
Melissa officinalis
Order:
Lamiales Mentha L.
Family: – mint
Lamiaceae
– Mint
Genus: 07446
Melissa
– balm
04185
Peppermint
Mentha piperita
04203
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
00000 00000
Spearmint
Mentha spicata
04189
00000
Watermint
Mentha aquatica
Bee Flower
黄蜜蜂花
Melissa flava
Note: Countless plants in genus Mentha L.
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LEAF VENATION ATTACHMENT LEAF SURFACE
Pinnate Petiolate Setose
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Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
LEAF APEX LEAF BASE LEAF SHAPE LEAF MARGIN LEAF COLOR
Acute - BROADLY Round Ovate Crenate Light Green
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Grow
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
04185
Perennial
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Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
Pests / Disease
Care
Thinning plants in the summer will improve air circulation. This is particularly important during hot and humid weather. To thin plants,
simply snap a stem off from the base. If plant has 30 stems, about 10 should be removed. The thinned stems can then be hung to
dry.
Cut plants nearly to ground level. You will get new growth even in cool weather after the plant has bloomed and leaves are turning
yellowish-green.
Plants may brown around the edges due to excess heat, cold, dryness or high winds. Trim 1 or 2 inches all around the plant to
remove browning in just a few days new growth will appear. For plants that are very large, try trimming one side one week and the
other side the following week. If the plant has been subjected to more extreme conditions like hurricane winds or drought, they would
cut it back to 4 or 5 inches in late winter or early spring.
Harvest
Propagation
Divide plants every 3 to 4 years as new growth begins in the spring, lifting plants and dividing them into clumps.
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Exposure
Sun
Wind
Cover Full Sun - Partial Shade
Wind Force
Sunlight Hours 8 hours Light Air to Fresh Breeze (4-21 knots)
Climate
Temperature
Humidity
Low (10-30%) Native High Temp Range
+-00.00° Max
+-00.00° Min
000 Max Duration (Days)
000 Min Duration (Days)
SOIL TYPE
SOIL MOISTURE
Moderately Dry (50-80%) light (sandy)
medium (loamy)
heavy (clay)
SPECIAL CONDITION
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Uses
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
04185
The tincture 1:5 v/v 45% one dropper full was used for anxiety as SAFETY CLASSIFICATION - 2000
American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)
needed. It did seem to work if not in the mind more so then the
decoction.
Using both the 2000 and 2014 American Herbal Production Association
SAFETY CLASSIFICATION - 2014
books I noticed not much difference between the two classification which American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)
makes sense since this plant has been used and documented for
centuries. Safety Class: 1
Interaction Class: A
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Drug Interactions
None Known
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
Medications Changed by the Liver -
clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), phenobarbital (Donnatal), zolpidem (Ambien), and others.
Lemon balm might cause sleepiness and drowsiness. Medications that cause sleepiness are called sedatives. Taking lemon balm
along with sedative medications might cause too much sleepiness.
None Known
Side Effects
Lemon balm may decrease the activity of the thyroid, especially with long-term use.
(No evidence given)
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Anxiety, generalized Mental Anxiety
Taking a combination product containing valerian and lemon balm could lower References
3-6 oz. / 2-3 daily. A/N
anxiety when taken at a lower dose, but might increase anxiety when taken at a
higher dose.
Lemon balm is good for tension and anxiety-type headaches. It promotes a 4-8 oz. 2-3 times/day. A/N
References
calming and relaxing feeling and is a mild sedative.
10-20 drops. A/N
Herpes Simplex Labialis Infectious Infectious Agents Viruses Human Herpes 1E20
Applying a lip balm containing lemon balm extract seems to shorten healing time, References
3-6 times/day. A/N
prevent infection spread, and reduce symptoms of recurring cold sores.
Dyspepsia is a catchall term that includes a variety of digestive problems such as 4-8 oz. 2-3 times/day. A/N References
stomach discomfort, gas, bloating, belching, appetite loss, and nausea.
Can improve memory and decrease anxiety in people suffering from mild to 4-8 oz. 2-3 times/day. A/N
References
moderate Alzheimer’s.
Kava (Piper methysticum) 07427
St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum) 03362
Key:
Book Chapter Decoction / Tea Cream Ointment / Salve
Used / Combines with
Section Article Essential Oil Tincture Pill / Capsule
Conditions of Use and Important Information: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses,
precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other
qualified health care provider because of something you have read on Wortcunning. You should always speak with your doctor or health acre professional before you start, stop, or change any
prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.
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Modality Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
Chinese
No Reference
Ayurvedic
Greek
SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA
Cherokee Costanoan
Cold Remedy Gastrointestinal Aid
Febrifuge Pediatric Aid
Stimulant
Tonic
Misc. Disease
Remedy
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Lore
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
04185
One thing I’ve noticed is that in the many languages used two names English
always appear “balm” and “Melissa” where Melissa is a term related balm
to bee(s). To me this is two different industries, that of a perfumer common balm
and that of the spiritual respect of the bees. I prefer the latter.
Garden Balm
Lemon Balm
lemon-balm
Sweet Balm
French
Mélisse officinale
Mélisse
Herbe citron
Grande Mélisse
Baume
German
Zitronen-Melisse
Zitronenmelisse
Citronenmelisse
Herztrost
Melisse
Chinese
香蜂花
Spanish
Balsamita maior
Melisa
Toronjil
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Folklore
Ephesus - Turkey
Lemon Balm has a long history, dating back to ancient Turkey where it was planted near bee hives to encourage the bees to return home
to the hive rather than swarm away. It’s name, Melissa officinalis, is derived from the Greek word Melissa, meaning honeybee, and it was
planted and used by the beekeepers of the Temple of Artemis to help keep the sacred honeybees content.
Melissa
A nymph who discovered and taught the
use of honey, and from whom bees were
believed to have received their name.
Bees seem to have been he symbol of
nymphs, whence they themselves are
sometimes called Melissae, and are
sometimes said to have been
metamorphosed into bees.
Gold plaques embossed with winged bee goddesses, perhaps the Thriai, found at Camiros Rhodes,
dated to 7th century BCE (British Museum)
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
19
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History
300 BC (ITALY)
The ancient Greeks and Romans used it medicinal, and information about the herb was recorded in
Theophrastus's - Historia Plantarum
The word Balm is an abbreviation of Balsam, the chief of sweet-smelling oils. It is so called from its
honeyed sweetness It was highly esteemed by Paracelsus, who believed it would completely revivify a
man.
The London Dispensary (1696) says: 'An essence of Balm, given in Canary wine, every morning will renew
youth, strengthen the brain, relieve languishing nature and prevent baldness.' John Evelyn wrote: 'Balm is
sovereign for the brain, strengthening the memory and powerfully chasing away melancholy.' Balm steeped
in wine we are told again, 'comforts the heart and driveth away melancholy and sadness.' Formerly a spirit
of Balm, combined with lemon-peel, nutmeg and angelica root, enjoyed a great reputation under the name
of Carmelite water, being deemed highly useful against nervous headache and neuralgic affections.
Many virtues were formerly ascribed to this plant. Gerard says: 'It is profitably planted where bees are kept.
The hives of bees being rubbed with the leaves of bawme, causeth the bees to keep together, and causeth
others to come with them.' And again quoting Pliny, 'When they are strayed away, they do find their way
home by it.' Pliny says: 'It is of so great virtue that though it be but tied to his sword that hath given the
wound it stauncheth the blood.' Gerard also tells us: 'The juice of Balm glueth together greene wounds,'
and gives the opinion of Pliny and Dioscorides that 'Balm, being leaves steeped in wine, and the wine
drunk, and the leaves applied externally, were considered to be a certain cure for the bites of venomous
beasts and the stings of scorpions. It is now recognized as a scientific fact that the balsamic oils of aromatic
plants make excellent surgical dressings: they give off ozone and thus exercise anti-putrescent effects.
Being chemical hydrocarbons, they contain so little oxygen that in wounds dressed with the fixed balsamic
herbal oils, the atomic germs of disease are starved out, and the resinous parts of these balsamic oils, as
they dry upon the sore or wound, seal it up and effectually exclude all noxious air.
1025 (AFGHANISTAN)
Persian physician and philosopher Avicenna was an early advocate for the use of lemon balm in treating
depression/melancholy. According to an old Arabian proverb, “Balm makes the heart merry and joyful.”
1545-1612 (ENGLAND)
John Gerard wrote that, “Bawme drunken in wine is good against the bitings of venomous beasts, comforts
the heart, and driveth away all melancholy and sadness.” He advised that the juice of lemon balm would
“glueth together green wounds.” Culpepper believed the herb would treat boils, cure melancholy and was
good for the heart, mind, liver, spleen, digestion and fainting.
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Melissa officinalis
GENUS SPECIFIC EPITHET
21
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Store
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
04185
Essential Oil
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Active Constituents Plant Constituent Research
(+)-CITRONELLAL NEROL
NERAL E-BETA-FANESENE
BETA-CARYOPHYLLENE CITRONELLIC-ACID
METHYL-CITRONELLATE CIS-OCIMENE
GERMACRA-1-(10)E,5E-DIEN-4-OL BETA-CUBEBENE
CARYOPHYLLENE-OXIDE ALPHA-MUUROLENE
GERANYL-ACETATE LINALOL
DELTA-CADINENE ISOGERANIAL
COPAENE DELTA-CADINOL
ALPHA-COPAENE
ALPHA-CADINOL
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Image
Study
Image
Study
Melissa officinalis
Plant
Taken by: Eric Hunt
Date Taken: 8-Apr-2006
Location Taken: 37° 45′ 59.084″ N, 122° 28′ 1.698″ W
Melissa officinalis
Leaf
Taken by: Sean Ho
Date Taken: 6-Nov-2011
Location Taken: 22° 19′ 6.595″ N, 114° 13′ 17.572″ E
Melissa officinalis
Leaf
Taken by: Unknown
Date Taken: Unknown
Location Taken: Unknown
Melissa officinalis
Leaf Arrangement
Taken by: Unknown
Date Taken: Unknown
Location Taken: Unknown
Melissa officinalis
Flower Arrangement
Taken by: Charlie Hickey
Date Taken: 24-Dec-2013
Location Taken: Unknown
Achillea millefolium
Flower
Taken by: Unknown
Date Taken: Unknown
Location Taken: Unknown
Achillea millefolium
Seed
Taken by: Unknown
Date Taken: Unknown
Location Taken: Unknown
Achillea millefolium
Root
Taken by: Unknown
Date Taken: Unknown
Location Taken: Unknown
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References
Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
04185
Personal Commentary
BOOKS
REF:000053
Title: The Names of Plants
Author: David Gledhill
Published Date: 2008
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published Location: Cambridge, NY USA
REF:000021
Title: Herbs of Commerce
Author: American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)
Published Date: 1992
Publisher: American Herbal Products Association
Published Location:
REF:000054
Title: Herbal Remedies
Author: Andrew Chevallier
Published Date: 2007
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd
Published Location: New York, NY USA
REF:000055
Title: The Natural Pharmacy
Author: Alan R Gaby
Published Date: 2006
Publisher:
Published Location:
REF:000022
Title: Botanical Safety Handbook
Author: American Herbal Products Association
Published Date: 1997
Publisher: CRC Press
Published Location:
REF:000023
Title: Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs
Author: Scott Cunningham
Published Date: 1985
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
Published Location: St. Paul, MN USA
REF:000056
Title: Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils
Author: Julia Lawless
Published Date:
Publisher: Barnes Noble Books
Published Location:
REF:000057
Title: Medicinal Herbalism
Author: David Hoffmann
Published Date: 2003
Publisher:
Published Location:
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Lemon Balm
Melissa officinalis
REF:000008 REF:0000000
Title: 300 Herbs Title: Name
Author: Matthew Alfs Author: Name
Published Date: 2003 Published Date: 0000
Publisher: Publisher: Text
Published Location: Published Location: Text
REF:000058 REF:0000000
Title: A Modern Herbal Title: Name
Author: M Grieve Author: Name
Published Date: 1931 Published Date: 0000
Publisher: Publisher: Text
Published Location: Published Location: Text
REF:0000048 REF:0000000
Title: Botany in a Day Title: Name
Author: Thomas J. Elpel Author: Name
Published Date: Published Date: 0000
Publisher: HOPS Press Publisher: Text
Published Location: Published Location: Text
REF:000059 REF:0000000
Title: Plant Identification Terminology Title: Name
Author: James G. Harris, Melinda Woolf Harris Author: Name
Published Date: 2001 Published Date: 0000
Publisher: Spring Lake Publishers Publisher: Text
Published Location: Published Location: Text
REF:000015 REF:0000000
Title: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants Title: Name
Author: Christopher Brickell Author: Name
Published Date: 2004 Published Date: 0000
Publisher: Publisher: Text
Published Location: Published Location: Text
REF:000060 REF:0000000
Title: The Handbook of Clinically Tested Herbal Remedies Title: Name
Author: Marilyn Barrett Author: Name
Published Date: 2004 Published Date: 0000
Publisher: Publisher: Text
Published Location: Published Location: Text
REF:000061 REF:0000000
Title: Plant Propagation Title: Name
Author: Alan R Toogood Author: Name
Published Date: 1999 Published Date: 0000
Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc. Publisher: Text
Published Location: New York, NY USA Published Location: Text
REF:0000000 REF:0000000
Title: Name Title: Name
Author: Name Author: Name
Published Date: 0000 Published Date: 0000
Publisher: Text Publisher: Text
Published Location: Text Published Location: Text
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WEBSITES
REF:000008 REF:0000000
Title: 300 Herbs Title: Melissa officinalis - leaf
Author: Matthew Alfs Taken by: Philipp Haegi
Published Date: 2003 Date Taken: 10-May-2014
Publisher: Image Collection Source: Flickr
Published Location: Copyright: CC-BY-NC-SA
REF:0000000 REF:0000000
Title: Melissa officinals - leaf Title: Name
Taken by: Sean Ho Taken by: Name
Date Taken: 6-Nov-2011 Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000
Image Collection Source: Unknown Image Collection Source: Text
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND
REF:0000000 REF:0000000
Title: Name Title: Name
Taken by: Name Taken by: Name
Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000 Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000
Image Collection Source: Text Image Collection Source: Text
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND
REF:0000000 REF:0000000
Title: Name Title: Name
Taken by: Name Taken by: Name
Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000 Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000
Image Collection Source: Text Image Collection Source: Text
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND
REF:0000000 REF:0000000
Title: Name Title: Name
Taken by: Name Taken by: Name
Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000 Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000
Image Collection Source: Text Image Collection Source: Text
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND
IMAGES
REF:0000000 REF:0000000
Title: Melissa officinalis Title: Melissa officinalis - leaf
Taken by: Eric Hunt Taken by: Philipp Haegi
Date Taken: 8-Apr-2006 Date Taken: 10-May-2014
Image Collection Source: Flickr Image Collection Source: Flickr
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND Copyright: CC-BY-NC-SA
REF:0000000 REF:0000000
Title: Melissa officinals - leaf Title: Name
Taken by: Sean Ho Taken by: Name
Date Taken: 6-Nov-2011 Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000
Image Collection Source: Unknown Image Collection Source: Text
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND
REF:0000000 REF:0000000
Title: Name Title: Name
Taken by: Name Taken by: Name
Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000 Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000
Image Collection Source: Text Image Collection Source: Text
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND
REF:0000000 REF:0000000
Title: Name Title: Name
Taken by: Name Taken by: Name
Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000 Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000
Image Collection Source: Text Image Collection Source: Text
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND
REF:0000000
Title: Name
Taken by: Name
Date Taken: 00-Mon-0000
Image Collection Source: Text
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND
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