Table of Contents
How to Use Lemon Balm. As a general rule of thumb, treat lemon balm as you would any other herb. It works especially well in place of mint, offering bright, fragrant notes. Add whole lemon balm leaves to green salads, or chiffonade the leaves and scatter them over a fruit salad for added zesty flavor.
What can I do with a lemon balm plant?
It is also a common ingredient in herbal teas. A handful of fresh lemon balm and mint makes an excellent hot or iced tea, especially with honey. You can also use the herb to bake a batch of lemon balm cookies or lemon balm bread, whisk up a quick lemon balm vinaigrette, or top your pasta with lemon balm pesto.
Can you eat lemon balm leaves Raw?
Lemon Balm can be used both in hot and iced teas and in combination with other herbs such as spearmint. The plant is also often used as a flavoring in ice cream and its also suitable for spicing up chicken and fish dishes. Early fresh leaves can be chopped and added to salads.
How do you harvest and use lemon balm?
You can harvest small amounts of lemon balm for use throughout its growing season by snapping off a few leaves at a time. For a bigger harvest, use shears to snip leaves from the center stem, in between side shoots, to continue encouraging bushy, full growth.
What part of the lemon balm plant is used?
Lemon balm supplements are made from the leaves of the plant. Essential oils made from lemon balm leaves contain plant chemicals called terpenes, which play at least some role in the herb’s relaxing and antiviral effects.
Does lemon balm keep mosquitoes away?
Lemon Balm contains high levels of a compound called citronellal, which gives it its lemony aroma and flavor that bugs find so unpleasant. The lemon scent, which repels the bugs, is powerful. It rubs off very well onto the skin. Lemon balm repels mosquitoes and gnats.
Can I smoke lemon balm?
The other herbs you can smoke are: Lemon Balm, Wormwood Herb, Greater Celandine Herb, Hemp Buds, Stinging Nettle, Marshmallow Leaf, Licorice Root.
How do you harvest lemon balm tea?
The easiest way to harvest lemon balm is to snap leaves off stems with your fingers as often as needed for cooking or other purposes. The collected leaves can be used fresh or hung upside down to air-dry for later use. The dried herbs lose a lot of flavor, so if you’re using it for food, fresh is usually best.
Is lemon balm poisonous?
Lemon balm essential oil is very toxic undiluted. In large doses, it produces narcosis and it is considered a narcotic. Doses above 2 g per day have produced hypotension, slow heartbeat and difficulty breathing.
Is lemon balm good after it flowers?
Cutting back hard after flowering will produce a fresh flush of leaves. Lemon balm can also be propagated by dividing old clumps in spring or early fall, or from cuttings. The leaves may be used fresh or dried, although the dried leaves lose much of their aroma.
Should I let lemon balm flower?
The lemon balm plant (Melissa officinalis) is actually a member of the mint family and is a perennial herb. It grows as a bushy, leafy herb with a pleasant lemon smell and small white flowers. Removing the flowers of the plant as soon as they appear will make your lemon balm far less invasive.
How fast does lemon balm spread?
The versatile herb is a rapid grower outdoors—after planting in early spring, it’s not unusual to see a lemon balm plant grow to over a foot tall (sometimes, even two!) in just a single season.
Can I drink lemon balm tea everyday?
How to use: Take 1200 mg of lemon balm daily for optimal results. This will allow the herb to get into your system long before it’s time for PMS symptoms to appear. Continued use is thought to reduce your symptoms over time.
Is lemon balm edible?
Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is an herb in the mint family. It is often used to make teas, marinate chicken or fish, or add flavor to baked foods and jams. It can be consumed as tea, taken as a supplement or extract, or rubbed on the skin in balms and lotion.
What are the benefits of lemon balm tea?
Health Benefits of Lemon Balm Tea Reduces Stress and Anxiety. The calming effect of lemon balm tea can help lower stress levels after even the toughest days. Improves Sleep. Supports Brain Health. Alleviates Digestive Problems. Treats Infections. Prevents Heart Disease.
Is lemon balm toxic to dogs?
Lemon balm, known scientifically as Melissa officinalis, is a non-toxic herb that can be used on dogs, cats, and even horses. As a supplement for your dog, lemon balm has many benefits that may help with several different conditions.
Should you cut back lemon balm?
To keep plants vigorous, thin plants out in mid-summer by cutting out stems to open up the plant to better air circulation. Lemon balm can also be cut back to about one-half its height to encourage fresh, vigorous new growth. Watering after this heavy pruning helps the plant recover quicker.
Does lemon balm repel ants?
Lemon Balm Neither do flies and ants.
