Melissa officinalis - Vilmorin Seeds

Melissa officinalis or lemon balm is a perennial bushy plant, very honey-bearing, both aromatic, condimental and medicinal. It is very easy to cultivate, in open ground or in a pot. Its leaves will bring a lemony note to your raw vegetables, fish dishes or desserts. It is also used for making infusions. Sow Melissa from April to June for a harvest from May to October.

Originally from the Mediterranean, Melissa is part of the Lamiaceae family, like mint, with which it is sometimes, at first glance, confused. It is a very honey-bearing herbaceous perennial. Its name actually comes from Greek, "melissa", which means "bee". Melissa officinalis is also called lemon balm, a name that refers to the lemony scent of its leaves, ideal for keeping mosquitoes away during the summer!

Choose carefully where you want to sow it. Melissa is a bushy plant that can reach 80cm (32in) in height and 50cm (20in) in width. It enjoys sunny exposures as much as partial shade. Sow it if possible in a somewhat isolated place because it tends to expand and could encroach on neighboring plants. To prevent Melissa from becoming invasive, don't forget to prune it during flowering. It is a very hardy plant, able to settle almost anywhere, and it also grows very well in pots, which allows you to control its spread.

In terms of cooking, fresh or dried Melissa leaves add a lemony note to raw vegetables, fish dishes or desserts. They can also be used in infusions.

Harvest: the leaves are harvested from May to October, as needed. It is in June that Melissa concentrates its aromatic qualities the most. If you want to dry the leaves, cut the stems when they are in buds.

Storage: consume fresh Melissa leaves to fully enjoy their scent. For longer storage, you can freeze or dry them. For drying, hang the stems in a ventilated, shady place, then put the leaves in airtight jars.

The gardener's little trick: After pruning, keep a few branches of Melissa to place in your closets to scent the clothes and keep away moths.