Botanical Archive No. 003

Lemon Balm

Melissa officinalis

Traditionally, lemon balm was heavily used for calming nerves, reducing fevers, and helping with specific viruses. It was a super common herb in the 1700s, and most homes had it in a tonic.

Archive record

Harvest

Harvets younger leaves year-round. There are a few different ways people harvest lemon balm. I like to cut stems right before the new growth (you'll see tiny new leaves cut right above them, and they'll sprout right out). Lemon Balm seems to like maintenance done on it and is happiest when bushy in my opinion.

Grown

Indoors, Interior Alaska

Bloom time

June- September

Drying notes

Lemon Balm is a super easy herb to dry! A simple bundle tied and hung to the ceiling in a cool, dark place. The drier the room is, the quicker it will dry out. I like to put it in a room with a large amount of airflow on cooler dry nights I'll leave the window open or put a small fan in the room if possible.

Storage

A simple mason jar with a tight lid is perfect. Always keep it out of direct sunlight.

Recipes

Commonly used in Herbal Oils, Infusions, and Tinctures.

Their stems are square and don't normally grow tall, usually standing about 1 to 2 feet. They have, in my opinion, heart-shaped oval leaves with serrated edges. It grows from summer to early fall, depending on your location. A great herb for the house; with good sunlight it will produce year-round.

I love lemon balm. The herb smells like a sweet lemon. It grows well and does not require a ton of maintenance. It never fails to dry out and is very easy to break down for use in herbs and teas. There is some research done in relation to hyperthyroidism, and it is not recommended. It can react with medications, so double-check with your provider if you are going to ingest this herb.