Botanical Name: Mellissa officinalis
Where it grows: North
Africa, USA, Mid East, South Europe, Hungary
US Hardiness Zone: 5-9
Special Characteristics:
Square stem, Bright red flowers
How the oil is produced:
Steam distillation
Fragrance: Lemon with a
light mint, herbal, green, citrus
Blends well with:
Geranium, most other mints, rosemary, lavender, Rose, Citrus, Lemongrass,
Lemon
Balm is another one of my favorite herbs.
When I was young I was very interested in herbology and would suck up
any information on natural healing and holistic treatments as I could. I visited another farm with my family where
the mother had been very knowledgeable and had several large herb gardens. As we walked the fields of green leaves
and small flowers she taught me how to identify herbs in the wild.
One
thing that would always stay with me was a simple trick to tell what plants
belong into the mint family. She told me
to always check the stems; if they are square there is a strong possibility they
are some kind of mint. Over the years
this has remained true, if it had a square stem it would be part of the mint
family when I looked them up. Lemon Balm
is part of the mint family and does have the square stem.
Lemon
Balm has a beautiful lemony scent and can easily be grown in your garden. One thing to be aware of with the mint family
is that they are very aggressive. I you
don’t want your entire garden to be taken over you must contain their roots.
Lemon
Balm is considered to be a calming fragrance and in aromatherapy it is used to
up lift your mood and relieve nervous tension.
It can be used in as a warm bath soak or in a diffuser to help ease the
day’s stress. It is also known to have
antibacterial properties and help topically with bug bites, eczema, and other
skin issues. It is also useful during
the menstrual cycle to help relieve headaches, cramping and nausea.
Note: When using any essential oil too much of a
good thing can have a negative impact so make sure to practice safety. Aromatherapy should never replace medical
treatment and you should consult your physician before using any alternative
medicine
This
information is for educational purposes only, it is not intended to treat,
cure, prevent or, diagnose any disease or condition. Nor is it intended to
prescribe in any way. This information is for educational purposes only and may
not be complete, nor may its data be accurate.
Whenever
using essential oils conduct an allergy test prior to use and never apply
directly to your skin or directly stick your nose close to the bottle (dropper,
spoon, cover, etc.) Often essential oils are strong enough to burn the thin
membranes inside your nose.
Do
not take internally unless working with a qualified and expert practitioner.
Keep away from children.