Lemon balm is a great plant for the home and garden. It’s easy to grow, gives off an amazing citrus smell, and it has so many benefits!
Lemon balm 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. 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!
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. Repel mosquitoes without harmful chemicals
Lemon balm plants are an excellent way to keep bugs away. Not only do they provide you with a virtually endless supply, but the scent also makes them unpleasant for mosquitoes!
Citronellal is what gives this herb its lemony aroma and flavor which helps deter insects – so just crush some fresh leaves up into powder form before rubbing it on your skin if you don’t want pesky flies around too much (or anywhere near ankles).
4. Improving alertness
While it may seem odd that a plant with calming, stress relieving and sleep promoting properties could improve one’s ability to stay awake for an extended period of time- Turns out the natural compounds found in these leaves are what give them such great energy boosting qualities.
If you need concentration when trying to study or work on big projects then this might just be perfect!
5. Strengthening memory and problem-solving abilities
Lemon balm has been used for centuries as a natural remedy and is now being studied by researchers to see if it can help with Alzheimer’s. People who take lemon balm notice improvement in their memory, problem solving abilities and processing speed which all areas affected by this terrible disease!
Lemon balm is a herb that may have positive effects on memory because of its powerful antioxidant eugenol, along with the ability to break down brain chemical acetylcholine, which is responsible for thoughts and memory.
6. Treat cold sores
Lemon balm, with its antiviral properties and calming effect on the nervous system can be used to reduce stress related symptoms of a herpes outbreak.
To make this tea use dried leaves from lemon balm (or fresh lemon balm leaves). The flavor is both refreshing and lemony!
7. 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!
8. Improve digestion and battle gastrointestinal problems
Drinking lemon balm tea is great for treating cold sores and can also help improve your digestive health.
This herb has been used in many different ways, including its capacity to lessen the pain when someone gets an upset stomach or gut ache.
9. Normalize blood sugar levels
Lemon balm is an herb with many health benefits that can help balance blood sugar levels.
It contains antioxidants like eugenol and rosmarinic acid, which protect against damage to cells in the body and brain.
10. 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!
11. 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!
12. Help the bees
Bees are one of the world’s most valuable pollinators, responsible for 80% of plant life on Earth. Lemon balm helps them by providing nectar and pollen in abundance!
