Species: Melissa officinalis

Clade: Tracheophytes

Order: Rosales

Order: Lamiales

Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: Melissa

How many favourites can one have? Many. Melissa officinalis is a herbaceous plant that's easy to love. Its citrus scent smells amazing, it grows beautifully and effortlessly and makes any garden look instantly lush - and attracts bees. It's the kind of perennial, uncomplicated, reliable plant that anyone can grow - and harvest.

Hailing from the Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family, it is mint-like in appearance sporting jagged, oval, and irregularly hairy leaves that give off a heavenly citrusy scent. Tiny white flowers appear in spring and summer. The active substances in Melissa are essential oils, the main constituent being citral (geraniol and nerol) which has the same components found in a citrus peel. It also contains smaller amounts of citronella oil, rosmarinic acid, caryophyllene (also found in cloves and black pepper), flavonoids (act as anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory), and triterpenes (also known to be an anti-oxidant).

It is also the main ingredient of an herbal spirit I adore: Klosterfrau Melissengeist (also known as Melisana, Carmelite Water, and 'the spirit of melissa'). A German nun, Maria Clementine Martin, distilled this commercially popular product in Cologne some 200 years ago "to help people with nervous dispositions or digestive problems." 

Melissa is present in other herbal concoctions crafted by monks and nuns throughout history. The "elixir of long life" known as Chartreuse was first made by the Carthusian Monks in France in 1737 and contained some 130 plants, herbs, roots, bark, and flowers. Today, there are just two monks at the Grande Chartreuse monastery who may know the secret recipe at one time; they are responsible for preparing the herbal mixture that is then used to distill the commercially-available liqueur. 

In 1863, Bénédictine - an herbal liqueur - was developed by the French wine merchant, Alexandre Le Grand. Containing a "subtle alchemy of 27 different plants and spices", the true recipe is a carefully guarded trade secret. But again, my friend the lemon balm is undeniably nestled in the list of ingredients.

Melissa may be effective as an anxiolytic, sedative, digestive aid, cholagogue, hepatic, nervine, anti-spasmodic, anti-depressant, diaphoretic, antimicrobial, and can be used to treat cold sores. Personally, I always turn to this herb when I am unable to sleep or rest easily. It is also a strong anti-oxidant, good for oily skin, and an effective insect repellant. And if none of its medicinal properties appeal to you, you can simply sip on an historic liqueur and toast to a long life.

Resources:

Schönfelder, I. and Schönfelder, P. (2019). Der Kosmos Heilpflanzen-führer. Franckh-Kosmos Verlags-GmbH & Co. KG, Stuttgart. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_balm

https://www.klosterfrau.com/brands/melisana.html#melisana 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartreuse_(liqueur)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9n%C3%A9dictine 

Caution & Disclaimer:

Consult your doctor/physician before taking an herbal supplement, especially if you are on prescription medication or suffer from any chronic conditions, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Some herbs may cause allergic reactions - it is prudent to test a small amount and wait 24 hours to establish an allergic response. Melissa officinalis should be avoided by people on thyroid medication as it may inhibit the absorption of this medication. 

When wild harvesting, ensure that plants have not been sprayed or exposed to excess pollution.