Mandarina Lemon Balm in a mini vintage pot with sliced mandarin oranges.
Mandarina Lemon Balm in a starter tray.
Mandarina Lemon Balm with sliced mandarin oranges.
Mandarina Lemon Balm in a mini vintage pot with sliced mandarin oranges.
Mandarina Lemon Balm in a starter tray.
Mandarina Lemon Balm with sliced mandarin oranges.

Lemon Balm Seeds,
Mandarina

4.410 ReviewsSKU: #HB307
Price
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Min. 35 seeds

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Description

This lemon balm is especially lovely, with leaves infused with the intoxicating scent of mandarin orange! The crawling habit makes this an enthralling container plant as it “spills” from hanging baskets and pots. It also makes a delightful scented ground cover. A delicious tea plant to add citrusy notes to your blends. Small white blooms appear in summer. Height 6-12 inches, 20-24 inches wide.

Growing Tips: Start indoors, covering seeds very lightly and keeping moist until sprouts appear. Set outside after last frost or direct sow in the garden, two weeks before last frost. Cutting back after flowering encourages reblooming.

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Melissa officinalis
Life Cycle
Perennial
Sun Requirement
8–12 hr.
Days to Germinate
7–14
Days to Maturity
70
Planting Depth
Surface sow
Plant Spacing
12 in.
Ideal Temperature
68–70°F
Frost Hardy
Yes

Growing Guide

When to Grow

Begin seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, surface sowing and lightly tapping them into the substrate. Set plants out after the last spring frost in a full-sun spot, spacing them 12 inches apart, or pot them up so the crawling stems can spill over the edge. Plants are ready to pick at about 70 days and are hardy as a perennial in zones 4 through 9.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost.
  • Surface sow and lightly tap seeds into substrate.
  • Keep moist until seeds sprout.
  • The ideal soil temperature for germination is 70 F.
  • Seeds sprout in 7-14 days.

How to Grow

  • Transplant outside after the last spring frost.
  • Plant in full sun spacing plants 12” apart.
  • Lemon balm is best planted in a raised bed or container.
  • Cutting back flowers encourages more herbaceous growth.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • Spreads vigorously through self-seeding!

How to Save Seeds

  • Separate dried flower stalks from the stem.
  • Gently roll the dried flower stalks in your hands over a paper plate or bag.
  • Separate seeds from the dried plant material.
  • Store in a cool, dry, and dark place until you are ready to plant.

FAQ

How is Mandarina different from other lemon balms?

Its leaves are infused with the intoxicating scent of mandarin orange, and it is a delicious tea plant for adding citrusy notes to your blends.

How long do the seeds take to germinate?

Seeds sprout in 7 to 14 days when the soil temperature is around 70°F. Surface sow and keep the seeds moist until they sprout, as they are not buried.

How should I use it in the garden?

Treat Mandarina as a scented ground cover first. At 6 to 12 inches tall and spreading 20 to 24 inches wide, it knits together into a low mat that releases the mandarin scent whenever it is brushed or walked past, which is why it earns a spot along a path edge rather than at the back of a bed. Keep it in a raised bed or container, though, because lemon balm self-seeds vigorously. Small white blooms open in summer.

Customer reviews

4.4 / 5 10 Reviews

What gardeners are saying

  • Citrus fragrance: Fresh lemon-orange scent in the leaves.

  • Teas and syrups: Dried or fresh for iced tea, simple syrup and baking.

  • Spreads like mint: Grows fast and roams; some keep it in its own pot.

  • Growing tips: Burns in full hot sun; give afternoon shade and steady water.

More to grow!
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