Not to be confused symantically with : Bastard Balm [a plant with similar name but which also belongs to the same dead-nettle Family]

Some similarities to : Gypsywort but the leaves do not smell of lemons when crushed. Also, the leaves of Balm are oval, whilst those of Gypsywort are much longer than wide.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics

Distinguishing Feature : the unexpected smell of lemons when the leaves are crushed.

No relation to : Lemons [a tropical tree bearing yellow fruit with similar name].

The only plant (at least in the UK) belonging to the Melissa Genus, although there are many cultivars. It is not known whether the above photos are a cultivar, but they were growing on a public right of way within the grounds of a house. It is a perennial herb.

Balm, or Lemon Balm, contains Eugenol and numerous other terpenes and their derivatives. Specifically 1-octen-3-ol, 10-α-cadinol, 3-octanol, 3-octanone, cubebene (α-), humulene (α-), bourbonene (β-), Caffein acid, Caryophyllene, Caryophyllene-oxide, Catechinene, Chlorogenic acid, Cis-3-hexen-1-ol (leaf alcohol, which has an intense grassy-green odour of freshly cut grass), cis-Ocimene, Citral-A, Citral-B, Citronellal, Copaene, Eugenyl-acetate, cadinene (γ-), -cadinene (δ), Geranial, Geraniol, Geranyl Acetate, Germacrene D, Isogeranial, Linalool, Luteolin-7-glucoside, Methyl-heptenone, Neral, Nerol, Octyl-benzoate, Oleanolic Acid, Pomolic acid, Protocatechuic acid, Rhamnazine, Rosmarin acid, Rosmarinin acid, Stachyose, Succinic Acid, Thymol, Trans-Ocimene and Ursolic Acid. Strangely, it lacks Limonene which smells of oranges but which is present in the peel of Lemons.

The leaves not only smell lemony, but also have a citrusy taste like the non-native Lemongrass. Balm is used to flavour ice-creams and herbal teas. Its flavour derives from four of the main constituents of the essential oil from Lemon Balm: 24% Citronellal, 16% Geranial, 12%Linalyl Acetate and 12% Caryophyllene.

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