Description
Melissa officinalis ssp altissima
Also known as Crete Balm, this hardy herbaceous perennial from the Mediterranean region is a rare and unusual subspecies of lemon balm. The leaves are slightly smaller than lemon balm, downy and lighter green. Flowers are pale lavender in colour and like all members of the mint family very attractive to bees. The leaves make a really zingy refreshing tea and are also good in green and fruit salads, but pick them immediately before you need them to stop them going brown. These plants have all the same medicinal benefits of lemon balm, being used as a tonic and for many other treatments including cold sores, colds and fever, digestive upsets in children and on insect bites. Full sun, more drought tolerant than lemon balm.
9cm pot. Certified organic plant.
