yup.

FataMorgana

ps....Twitter this 'aint. You can use a few more words and let us know exactly what information you were looking for. :)

Nope. Not familiar with it.

I know Lemon BALM very well, however. Plenty of uses.

So - what do you really want to know?

I have it in my garden. If you don't keep the seed heads cut off, it will self-sow. It's a wonderful tea herb. I also have a recipe for Lovely Lemon Vinegar which uses a variety of lemon flavored/scented plants. I ignored my herbs for quite a few years. Back in the 80s it was hard to find recipes but now, thanks to the internet, it's easy.

anyone every use it. can i use for food and drinks?

Yes, it's edible - and delicious. It has both culinary and medicinal uses, as well as household and veterinary uses.

Culinary Uses: Use fresh leaves in salads and as a garnish for fish and other dishes. When candied, the leaves make attractive cake decorations. Chopped leaves can be added to egg, fish and chicken dishes and sprinkled over fresh vegetables. Goes well with corn, broccoli, asparagus, lamb, shellfish, ground black pepper, olives and beans. Add the leaves to cooked dishes in the last few minutes. They can also be added to summer drinks and fruit salads, soups, sauces and ice cream, and make a good substitute for lemon peel in recipes. An ingredient of Benedictine and Chartreuse. The flower tips and young leaves are floated in wine or fruit cups as a flavouring and garnish. Substitute for lemon rind in jam making and add to marmalades. Makes a delicious tea, alone or added to ordinary tea.

Medicinal Uses: It helps relieve anxiety attacks, palpitations with nausea, mild insomnia and phobias and when used as a sedative it is good for children. It combines well with peppermint to stimulate circulation and can also be used for colds and flu and is most effective in the early stages of a cold. The tea is used to treat headaches and tiredness, mild depression, eczema, laryngitis, colic and dizziness and is reputed to enhance the memory. It calms a nervous stomach, controls high blood pressure, relieves menstrual cramps, promotes menstruation and treats insomnia. Useful for liver, spleen, kidney, bladder and bowel troubles. Helps if suffering from tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Fresh juice is used to treat goitre and Graves Disease. It is especially suitable for children and makes a good substitute for chamomile. A crushed fresh leaf applied to insect bites eases discomfort. As a poultice, it treats sores and tumours. In ointment, it is good for cold sores.

Usual Dosage: Pour 1 cup boiling water over 1-2 teaspoons herb, steep for 10-15 minutes. Drink warm, as required. For a cold extract, use 2 tablespoons per cup of cold water, let stand 8 hours.

Other Uses: Attracts bees to the garden. Potpourri. An infusion of leaves makes a refreshing skin toner and can be used in rinse water for clothes. A stronger infusion makes a good rinse for oily hair. Use as a facial steam for dry skin and to treat acne. Use in furniture polishes. The leaves rubbed onto wooden furniture make a fine furniture polish. Rub on a fresh leaf to soothe insect bites. Use in sleep pillows and add to soaps. Used to bathe discharging eyes in puppies. Used to bring down retained afterbirth in farm animals. Also used for farm animals for eye ailments, nervous and brain disorders, heart abnormalities, uterine disorders, to increase milk yield and to prevent miscarriage.

Warning: Avoid medicinal doses when pregnant or if suffering from night sweats. People with either Grave's disease or thyroid-related illness should not use this herb except under medical supervision. Prolonged contact with balm plants or leaves may cause contact dermatitis (itching, sting, burning, reddened or blistered skin) or it may sensitise you to other allergens.

Happy now?

I'm just starting with Herbs and plucked a leaf off of my Lemon Balm and now know I better plan on more space for this next year as I can see I'll be using a lot of this stuff.

WOW Daisy that was alot of info. Wished i had read your post before ripping it all up. I kind of let it go and it spread to be about a 5 x 5 plot (quite invasive) If any volunteers tend to show up i will give it a special location, and now that I know how to use it I will.

Thanks For that very informative post
Mark

lemon blam...lol

Don't worry, you will have volunteers.

I actually liked the term "Lemon Blam"--it put me in mind of a certain dessert....

:o)

Blue, where are you planting yours?

I know this is an old thread, but i wanted to bump it up and see if anyone had experience using lemon balm as daisy described, particularly to treat insect bites and insomnia. I have a lemon balm plant that was given to me recently and reading this thread made me apprciate the gift even more. I plan to transplant it to its final spot soon which is all day direct sun. How do you think LB will like this spot? Thanks everyone!

I didnt relise just how old this post was. I was just going to comment on how informative it was when low and behold i allready did...lol. Old age is finally cuaght up to me. But I must comment i did a good job at ripping it up cus I never got any volunters popping up.

Thats too bad 101...i gave a fresh leaf for my boyfriend to put on this sore red bump he had and he said it helped take out the irritation and soreness...turned out to be a pimple in his eyebrow! So i gave the LB a permanent spot in my herb garden this evening.

Already have some great replies- I just wanted to jump in that I, too, have Lemon Balm. It's still young and growing, but I've used it and absolutely love it in my tea. Can't wait to start throwing it in my food when the need arises. It has a very nice smell and taste.

I have this in My Garden/Well lets just say it has it's very own wall about four feet long and two feet out into the yard to grow. I take a bush into the farmers Market every week. can not tell I have even cut it out. Our gardens here in Zone 7-Indiana started very early So I have more then I can use or store this year.

I planted the LB in full sun so we will see how it does!

I can't find this plant for sale anywhere. I had it in my old garden, and really want it here in my new garden. Would love some rooted babies if anyone has a few. thanks

I chop the leaves up fresh for tea. It's very good stuff....top notch!

mistidawn...I've never seen it at the box stores here in CA but all our local nurseries carry it. It is perennial here.

Its been almost a month since i planted the lb in full sun and i think its safe to say it loves it! There are some little black bettle things that love it too. Ive only seen them on the lb too. They are really chewin the olant up, what are they and what to do?

It's probably time to cut the plant back. It can get ratty looking in the summer when it blooms.

Mine hasnt bloomed yet but i would love to cut it back so i can use it! Most of the leaves have a buckshot look to them from the bugs, are these still okay to use?

Most bug chew only affects looks. Once dried and put in a tea cup, who will know the difference?

FataMorgana

Thanks fata! For the record, consistent use of DE has helped significantly, I havent found new signs of chewing and I havent laid eyes on the culprit either for a day or two. Its time to use some lemon balm! How far from the base can one cut herbs and still get new growth?

Lemon balm can recover from a lot (as some will surely tell you to cut it to the ground), but take only the top third or quarter of the stems making sure there is some healthy leaves left on the plant. That will allow the plant to quickly bounce back with more for you to harvest as well as giving you the tastiest leaves for your use.

FataMorgana

I make soda, Martha Stewart style.
BLAM!