5 Reasons Everyone Should Start Growing Lemon Balm

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) plants are pass-along, plant-swap items that you might end up with from friends or family if they’re gifting your yard. When this happens, it can leave a gardener wondering what to do with their lemon balm plant and how to best use this herb!

While not as popular as other herbs like rosemary (which many people enjoy) I’m confident anyone would benefit by growing some at home in their own garden space – even though its reputation may precede itself!

What is Lemon Balm?
Lemon balm is an herb that grows in the mint family. It has small white flowers and a pleasant lemon smell, but it can quickly become invasive if not controlled properly!
However, its invasive properties are not due to the roots of this plant but instead it’s seeds which cause sudden takeovers when they start popping up all over an area unannounced!

If you want your lemon balm less dominating and more manageable simply remove any flowers from their stems as soon as they appear so we don’t see such dramatic results next time around

How to Grow Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a great plant for beginners to cultivate. The plants don’t require much care and they will grow in just about any soil, but prefer rich well drained ground with an acidic pH level of 6 or less (alkaline soils can cause them stress). They thrive best in full sun, but can tolerate part shade too.
Lemon balm is not recommended to be fertilized, as this could cause the scent of its oils and herbs to become weaker. It can easily be propagated by either seeds or cuttings, with minimal effort on your part.

In this article, we will take a look at the benefits of lemon balm for your home. It’s easy to grow and has many uses!

1.  Improve skin health
Lemon balm has been used for centuries to treat skin conditions, especially sunburns and acne. The lemon scent might also soothe the pain of these two types of ailments making it an excellent remedy!

2. Better sleep
Lemon balm is a natural sleep aid that has been used for centuries to help people get their zzzs. It’s also said to be beneficial in menopause, when women experience disturbed nights due to issues like hot flashes or hormonal fluctuations affecting how they rest. If you’re suffering from these types of disruptions then it might just do the trick! Consume 30 minutes before bedtime and see how it affects you.

3. Support liver health
The liver is responsible for clearing out all toxins from our bodies, but over time it can be hard on this important organ. Lemon balm was found to help protect the liver by preventing its damage caused by detoxifying substances like alcohol and chemicals in cosmetics!

4. Relieving stress and anxiety
Stress is an inescapable part of life, but lemon balm has been proven to reduce stress levels. If you’re looking for a natural way to soothe your nerves or get some sleep-time relaxation time then this plant will help! If you’re looking to take some time out of your day, this is the perfect drink. Simply finely chop its leaves and then boil them in water. After a couple minutes, strain it cool before slowly sipping on those healing benefits!

5. Relax and relieve sore muscles
Lemon balm is an herb that not only has been used to relieve muscle pain and aches of illness like the flu, but can also help decrease muscular spasms. It’s unique eugenol content makes it beneficial in reducing your everyday pains by acting as a natural anti-inflammatory agent!

Available forms of lemon balm
Lemon balm is available in several different medicinal and topical forms including: loose-leaf teas, capsules, tinctures, glycerites, creams, salves, and essential oils. Lemon balm is often found in combination with other herbal formulas. Try steeping 1 tablespoon of fresh or dried lemon balm leaves in hot water for a daily cup of vitality.


Other creative uses for lemon balm are freezing the leaves in ice cube trays and adding to iced teas or lemonade, infusing in oils and vinegars for culinary use, and mixing dried leaves in potpourri.

​There are endless uses for this fragrant herb, so get creative with it!