Photographs: Co. Cork

Balm / Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis Lus na meala Family: Lamiaceae Flowering July-September. Perennial. Introduced Spikes of small whitish-yellow flowers, 2-lipped, in auxillary whorls. Seeds freely and can be persistent. The toothed, stalked leaves are lemon-scented and slightly hairy above. Culinary herb, known to gardeners as Lemon Balm. Erect, branched stems can grow to 1m+, but usually less A garden escape or discard, also a relic of cultivation that can be found on roadsides, waste ground, hedgebanks and by rivers.

Lemon Balm, Melissa officinalis, Lus na meala