Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis) is a member of the mint family, but has a sweet lemony fragrance rather than a “minty” one. The mint family is huge; they distinguish themselves from other species by their square stems. Melissa is the Greek word for bee–indeed, bees love lemon balm, so beekeepers sometime rub a hive box with the crushed leaves to encourage bees to move in. Lemon balm grows throughout the world, and has been used for thousands of years, for culinary, cosmetic and health purposes. It makes a delicious tea on its own, or addition to other herbs or teas.
