Lemon Balm, Melissa Officinalis

"Well I was listening to the outgoing seasons
About climate change and some of the reasons
When the sky opened, like I been hopin'
And there came horses by the thousands
And there was thunder on their tongues, and lightning on their minds
And they were singing this old melody from some other time

They sang don't waste your hate
Rather gather and create
Be of service, be a sensible person
Use your words and don't be nervous
You can do this, you've got purpose
Find your medicine and use it" sings Nahko Bear in his song Manifesto.

I'm feeling my medicine, my purpose, is to speak more of the plants out my front door and all around me, asking to be recognized for the medicines that they are.

Today's herb is Lemon Balm, Melissa Officinalis.

Ahhh lemon balm. Such a cheery bright green with a fresh lemony scent. Growing and spreading like mint, as it's part of the mint family, it is easy for one to mistake it for peppermint by sight. Upon smelling it you can instantly differentiate it from its look alikes.

I started growing lemon balm indoors last winter and planted it out into my garden late this spring. As a perrennial I will be blessed with new growth from the plants after the winter, year after year. Lemon balm should only be planted in an area you won't mind being taken over, as it's extremely vigorous and will spread. I've given mine lots of space and will welcome the abundant growth, for its uses are many!

Lemon balm has been used for centuries as a remedy for anxiety and low mood due to stress. It is mildly sedative, and can be used in tea or as a tincture before bed to relax. Lemon balm is also a potent antiviral, and is particularily effective against the herpes virus.

Safe and gentle enough for children, lemon balm glycerite is like a tincture but made with food grade vegetable glycerine instead of alcohol. It tastes amazing, sweet and citrusy. My school aged son just started getting cold sores and we will be using this glycerite topically and orally to help ease his discomfort. I will share my recipe and method below.

To make Lemon Balm Glycerite:
Combine two cups of fresh lemon balm leaves and a cup of glycerin in the blender, blend briefly just so the leaves are finely chopped, then set in a jar to steep for about two months. Strain and use the glycerite topically on cold sores or mixed into skin care products. Add some to cold or hot water for a delicious and potent medicinal drink.

Lemon balm is high in antioxidants and anti-infammatory compounds, like citrol, and as such has even been studied for its role in killing cancer cells.

Fresh lemon balm leaves can be added to smoothies or salads. I'm going to use the pulp strained from my glycerite in a smoothie today, I like to waste as little as possible. Lemon balm has traditionally been used as an elixer for long life, and is recommended for daily use.

Lemon balm planted in pots or areas around the garden can repel many harmful garden pests while attracting bees and other beneficial insects with its nectar filled flowers. Citrus scents in general repel mosquitos and black flies, and lemon balm is no exception. As an organic gardener who doesn't like to slather up in chemicals to go work in the garden, I welcome plants like these around my home. On this cloudy morning with a storm impending, planting lemon balm seems like a great idea. Simply wet some seed starting soil in a growing container of choice, press a few seeds into the soil surface, and in a week or two you should see germination. A very forgiving plant, once growth is established it can tolerate infrequent watering, though it prefers regular watering like most plants.

I hope you enjoyed learning some of what Lemon Balm, Melissa Officinalis has to offer. Please consider sharing the post so that more people can learn of the powers of the medicinal plants all around us!

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