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Melissa officinalis
A hardy perennial with toothed, oval almost heart-shaped, light green leaves and small, yellow-white flowers.
Garden, meadows, brinks of woodlands. Prefers full sun or light shade in rich soil.
Has lemony scent. It got name from greek "melissa", because it is beloved by honey bees, meaning "honey bee". It can be used for medicinal purposes, for refreshing teas and ointments for ant-melancholy. Its culinary uses are in tisanes, dressings, custard, fruit salads and jellies. Melissa (as an tea) helps nerve headaches and respiratory inflammation, stimulates digestion, relieves spasms and pain in the stomach, acts as a stimulant, calms the mind, relieves anxiety, improves mood, memory and concentration. Melisa has a soothing effect on the digestive and gastrointestinal disorders caused by stress. Beneficial works on indigestion, sore on the gastric mucosa and peptic ulcers (this is an open wound in the stomach), relieves menstrual cramps, menstrual tension, has a beneficial effect on pain and spasms in the urinary organs. Can treat colds, can help in cases of bad breath oral (gargle and rinse). Lemon balm preparations for external use is recommended for herpes on the lips, it has the power to destroy herpes and other viruses that destroys microbes and inhibits inflammation. It is also used for insect bites as a compress for rubbing into the skin in neuralgia, swelling, turih and rheumatism. For this purpose, it can be soaked in alcohol (tincture) or in oil.
Spotted on Jul 8, 2013
Submitted on Aug 8, 2013
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