Lemon balm may have roots in history, but its popularity continues today. The International Herb Association named lemon balm Herb of the Year in 2007, according to The Herb Companion magazine. Lemon balm resembles mint, both in its appearance and its growth habits, but its distinctive, sweet scent makes it easy to recognize.
Identification
Lemon balm gets its Greek name--Melissa officinalis--from its ability to attract bees with its grassy-sweet smell and delicate pale flowers. Lemon balm has wrinkled leaves that may range in color from light to dark green, depending on the soil they're planted in, and the plant typically grows to be about 2 feet tall. The medieval emperor Charlemagne appreciated lemon balm's beauty so much that he ordered the herb planted in every monastery's garden.
Significance
According to the University of Michigan Health System Healthwise Knowledgebase, lemon balm has been used by herbalists in the past to treat gas, heart problems, sleeping problems, insomnia and nerve pain. The physician Paracelsus, who lived in Switzerland in the 1500s, believed that taking lemon balm could promote longevity, revitalize strength and health and make a person almost immortal.
Geography
Lemon balm is native to Europe, but its attractive scent and appearance combined with its medicinal and culinary uses have encouraged its spread, and lemon balm now grows in most parts of the globe, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It grows best in light soil and sunlight, but lemon balm can also thrive in clay soil and partial shade, according to The Herb Companion magazine.
Benefits
The German Commission E, a group that regulates use of dietary supplements in Germany, recognized some of lemon balm's traditional benefits when it approved the herb for use treating gastrointestinal issues and sleep problems caused by anxiety, according to The Herb Companion magazine. Modern researchers are just beginning to scientifically investigate the benefits of lemon balm, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Use
In classical tradition, lemon balm was steeped in wine and sometimes combined with nutmeg, lemon peel and angelica root, according to the "Modern Herbal" online at Botanical.com. Lemon balm was also mixed with oil or water to make a dressing that could be applied topically to areas of skin irritation or made into a tea by steeping fresh lemon balm in hot water. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, lemon balm tea is still a recommended remedy, but lemon balm ointments and capsules have replaced the traditional wine mixture.
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