Lemon balm

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Lemon balm
Melissa officinalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom Plant Division Magnoliophyta Class Magnoliopsida Order Lamiales Family Lamiaceae Genus Melissa Species officinalis

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Description 2.1 Identification 2.2 Origin, Distribution, Habitat, and Life Cycle 2.2.1 Origin 2.2.2 Distribution 2.2.3 Habitat 2.2.4 Phenology 2.3 Common Names 3 Uses 3.1 Edible 3.1.1 Edible Properties 3.1.2 Edible Uses 3.2 Medicinal 3.2.1 Medicinal Properties 3.2.2 Medicinal Uses 3.3 Practical 3.3.1 Practical Use Types 3.3.2 Practical Uses 4 Lore 5 Gallery 6 Disclaimer 7 Sources

[edit] Introduction

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), distinct from bee balm (Monarda species), grows as a perennial herb in the mint family (Lamiaceae), native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

[edit] Description

[edit] Identification

Lemon balm grows from 70 centimetres (27.6 in) to 150 centimetres (59.1 in) tall. The leaves have a slight lemon scent, related to mint. In late summer, small white flowers full of nectar appear. These attract bees, which led to the generic name Melissa (Greek for 'honey bee'). Its scent and flavor come from the terpenes citronellal, citronellol, citral, and geraniol.

[edit] Origin, Distribution, Habitat, and Life Cycle

[edit] Origin

Native to Southern Europe and Northern Africa and cultivated for over 2000 years. .

[edit] Distribution

Everywhere.

[edit] Habitat

Lemon Balm grows in clumps and spreads vegetatively and by seed. In mild temperate zones, the stems of the plant die off at the start of the winter, but shoot up again in spring. It can easily grow from stem cuttings rooted in water, or from seeds. Under ideal conditions, it will seed itself prolifically and can become a nuisance in gardens.

[edit] Phenology

[Learn more about phenology]

It flowers in late summer.

[edit] Common Names

1. Balm mint
2. bee herb
3. Sweet balm
4. Garden balm
5. Honey plant
6. Melissa

[edit] Uses

[edit] Edible

[edit] Edible Properties

[edit] Edible Uses

You can use Lemon balm as a flavouring in tisane and ice cream, but most folks commonly use it to make herbal teas. It makes a particularly refreshing iced tea, especially when mixed with other herbs such as spearmint. You may pair it with fruit dishes or candies. People have used the leaves to add flavor and medicinal properties to wine.

[edit] Medicinal

[edit] Medicinal Properties

antibacterial, antiviral, sedative, repellant

[edit] Medicinal Uses

Tea or Tincture

Use lemon balm medicinally as a herbal tea, or in extract form. Lemon balm also contains eugenol, which calms muscle spasms, numbs tissues, and kills bacteria. lemon balm leaves contain plant chemicals called terpenes, which play at least some role in the herb's relaxing and antiviral effects. Some claim it has antibacterial, antiviral properties, and also use it as a mild sedative or calming agent. You can use the crushed leaves, when rubbed on the skin, as a repellant for mosquitos. Lemon balm essential oil maintains a lot of popularity in aromatherapy. Many commonly co-distille the essential oil with lemon oil, citronella oil, or other oils.

Some studies suggest that topical ointments containing lemon balm may help heal lip sores associated with herpes simplex virus (HSV). In one study of 116 people with HSV, those who applied lemon balm cream to their lip sores experienced significant improvement in redness and swelling after only 2 days. Other symptoms, such as pain and scabbing, did not improve. Both the patients and their doctors reported a high degree of effectiveness with the lemon balm ointment. Several animal studies also support the value of topical lemon balm for herpes lesions.

Although scientist have conducted few rigorous studies on lemon balm, many health care professionals suggest that this herb benefits a variety of health problems, including Alzheimer's disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, indigestion, gas, insomnia, and hyperthyroidism. Experimental laboratory studies also suggest that lemon balm has antioxidant and anti-HIV properties, but scientists need further studies to confirm these findings.

[edit] Practical

[edit] Practical Use Types

[edit] Practical Uses

[edit] Lore

Lemon balm has a long history as a healing herb which includes usage in a drink that ensured longevity. The branches were strewn on floors to freshen a room, as mentioned by Shakespeare in "The Merry Wives of Windsor".

The Arabs introduced it as medicinal herb, a tea for anxiety and depression. People throughout France still know Melissa tea as a remedy for fatigue and headaches. Melissa derives its name from the Greek for honeybee. The leaves, rubbed onto beehives, prevent swarming and encourage the bees to return to the hives. The Greek physician Dioscorides wrote about people using it for scorpions stings and insect and dog bites.

The word "balm" comes aobut as an abbreviation of "balsam", the chief of sweet-smelling oils. It obtains its name from its honeyed sweetness. Paracelsus highly esteemed it and believed it would completely revivify a man. It was formerly esteemed of great use in all complaints supposed to proceed from a disordered state of the nervous system. 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.

[edit] Gallery

[edit] Disclaimer

Disclaimer

Rewild.info, its parent company Mythmedia, and Rewild.info contributors are not responsible or liable for any of the information used on this website. Practice at your own risk!

[edit] Sources

Attribution

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_balm
• http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/lemon-balm-000261.htm
• http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/lemonbalm.html
• http://health.howstuffworks.com/lemon-balm-herbal-remedies.htm
• http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/b/balm--02.html

References