Lemon Balm Bee Chamer

The mystique that surrounds lemon balm is a rich history which spans thousands of years, beginning in ancient Ephesus, known today as Turkey, where the ceremonial lives of the people there revolved around the bee. Their Great Goddess was the queen bee, the mother of her people, and her image was an outline not unlike the bee. The honeybee was considered to be a form the human soul took when descending from the Mother and the women who tended to the bees and the ceremonial duties of the Great Mother were called Melissai priestesses, which accounts for lemon balm’s Greek derived scientific name “Melissa”, meaning bee/honey bee.  

Bees were also a commerce due to their honey and wax, therefore anything that helped to attract the honeybees to a hive, or keep them from swarming was valued.  This is where lemon balm enters recorded history.  Lemon balm was a sacred herb in the Temple and assisted the ancient beekeepers in keeping honeybees well fed with nectar,  they also placed sprigs of lemon balm into beehives to attract wandering honeybee swarms and to keep the hives happy. Archeologists have even found coins from the region which are 2-3000 years old with the bee symbol on, showing the respect and importance they placed on the bee and honey.

Arabians are thought to be the first to have introduced lemon balm’s many uses to European countries.  Not only had lemon balm been a valued part of their Materia Medica for many hundreds of years, introduced to them from the Greeks, but it was also grown as a herbal cash crop for trade. This introduction of lemon balm into Europe is thought to have occurred around the tenth century. Lemon balm first appeared in a late Medieval/early Renaissance manuscript of the year 1440 as “herbe melisse” and “bawme” meaning balm. The early name of “balm” was popularly used in reference to its sweet smelling volatile oils and soothing qualities.

Many herbalist and people of the Renaissance period continued to hold lemon balm in high regard for its healing ability and they also found it made a good furniture polish to scent the chairs and banquet table before a feast and tossed on floors to freshen rooms.

Today lemon balm is used in Switzerland as a flavoring agent for certain cheeses and generally as a cooking herb. Studies have proven the anti-viral effectiveness of lemon balm specifically in shortening the healing time of herpes cold sores and outbreak of shingles. Other studies are now being conducted on lemon balm as a treatment for Grave’s disease, hyperthyroid, and Alzheimer’s/dementia. 

Description/Taxonomy: Melissa officinalis is a member of the Lamiaceae family, also known as the mint family.

Melissa is an erect herbaceous perennial that can grow 1 to 3 feet in height. The stems are square, which is typical of all plants in the mint family. Depending on the growing conditions, the oval or heart shaped leaves can grow up to 4 inches broad and 1 to 3 inches long and are scalloped along the edges.  In late summer Melissa shows its petite flowers, which are usually pale yellow, pink or white in color.  They appear in whorls around the top of the stem, with about 4 to 12 flowers in each whorl. When crushed, the leaves give off their delicious lemon aroma.

It is common in herbal teas and has long been an herbal remedy for a variety of ailments and as a digestive aid and sleep aid. To this day, lemon balm is a common remedy that many herbalists keep in their apothecary for the treatment of nervous disorders and general relaxation.

Wellness Uses: Spiritually it is said that lemon balm is known to balance feelings and emotions. Lemon balm has been associated with the feminine, the moon and water. It was considered sacred in the temples of modern day Turkey.

Herbal Actions:

Nervine: acts on the nerves in a calming way.

Sedative: calming agent.  

Mild Antispasmodic: reduces voluntary or involuntary muscle spasm.

Carminative: gently calms a nervous tummy.

Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration. Lemon balm is a relaxing diaphoretic as opposed to a stimulating diaphoretic.  

Antiviral: destroys or suppresses growth of viruses, generally by supporting the immune system.

Antioxidant: prevents free radical or oxidative damage.

Energetics: Cold, dry sour, slightly bitter.

Medicinal Benefits: Lemon balm is a wonderful herb for multiple health conditions and was once considered “an herbal cure-all”. It is most commonly worked with for stress, anxiety and depression due to its uplifting, yet calming tendencies. Especially when it is combined with other calming herbs like valerian and hops, it helps to reduce anxiety and promote sleep when insomnia is an issue. It’s tasty too, which helps make it that much more appealing when you need an emotional lift.

Other conditions that it is worked with include, asthma, fevers, migraines, shock, vertigo, menstrual problems, hypertension, gout, insect bites and skin infections.

Nervous disorders that affect the stomach greatly benefit from lemon balm. When drank as a tea, it helps the body to digest food more effectively. Not only does it help ease digestion, but it decreases painful spasms, which makes it also beneficial to those with IBS.  

A study of 93 breast-fed babies with colic found that a combination of lemon balm, fennel and chamomile decreased crying time by more than double compared to babies receiving the placebo. 

For use with headaches or migraines, the body works with its properties to ease the tension. This helps due to the fact that constricted blood vessels are usually the root cause of the throbbing headaches. Lemon balm is also known for its ability to help heal cold sores and herpes. Some recent studies show that lemon balm can help with secondary memory and the ability to learn, store and retrieve information. Because of this, practitioners recommend it for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Lemon balm as a tea or tinctured with glycerite is great to have on hand for children. Not only is it tasty, but also helps calm and sooth them in anxious or nervous states. It also helps when they have colds or stomach infections. 

Allies: For it’s calming effects, lemon balm is commonly paired with herbs like chamomile, lavender, passionflower, catnip and California poppy. These herbs all help to calm the nervous system and provide comfort to those who are anxious, stressed or agitated. They help to promote relaxation and relieve nervousness.

Cautions and Contraindications: Lemon balm is generally safe and tolerated by all ages but should not be taken if you have hypothyroidism or if you are pregnant, unless used under the guidance of a qualified healthcare practitioner.

Dosage and Method of Delivery: Lemon balm is most commonly worked with as a tea, or taken in an extract form. It can usually be found in both an alcohol based extract or glycerin extract, which is a great alternative for children. Making a Lemon Balm lip ointment is good specifically for treating herpes or cold sores.

While the dosage can vary depending on each individual’s unique needs and health history, tinctures are usually taken 10-30 drops about 1 to 3 times per day. The tea can be sipped throughout the day to alleviate stress and anxiety. Usually around 1-3 cups per day or as needed. As always, it is recommended to consult with an herbalist or qualified medical professional before attempting to treat or cure an existing medical condition.

Culinary: Lemon balm leaves are worked with fresh or dried to season and flavour foods such as salads, soups, sauces, and stuffing and as a flavouring in candies, and fruit drinks. Fresh lemon balm can be put into drinks or added to steamed vegetables and fruit salads. Simply adding a few fresh leaves to iced tea or lemonade adds a nice herbal lemony flavor. You can even brew lemon balm on it’s own as a cooling herbal iced tea along with some chamomile and peppermint.

A great way to work with fresh lemon balm is to make a lemon balm pesto. Just mix 1 part fresh lemon balm and 1 part fresh basil leaf with olive oil and garlic (if desired) and you’ve got yourself a delicious pesto, ready to add to pasta, chicken or fish.

Cultivation: Lemon balm is a fast growing perennial that is hardy to zones 4 through 9. It prefers moist but well drained soil and not too much direct sunlight, although it won’t suffer in full sun. It self-sows easily after a few plants are established. You can sow the seeds directly in the soil in the Fall, or start them indoors in the Spring. The leaves are most flavorful just before the plant flowers.

When the plant is in full sun it is more compact and bushy. When it is in partial shade it becomes more sprawling. It can be harvested throughout the growing season by cutting the plant 6 inches above the ground. It is recommended to tie the leaves in bundles and let them dry. Lemon balm also has the added benefit that it attracts pollinators, which makes it a great asset to have in the garden.

Make a sleepy time herbal syrup:

This is a delicious way to calm and relax everyone from children to adults!

• Place about 3/4 cup lemon balm leaves into a small pot and add enough water to just cover the leaves.

• Simmer, covered partially, until the liquid is reduced in half.

• Strain out & compost the leaves.

• While still quite warm, measure out about 1/2 cup of the concentrated tea and stir 1/4 cup raw honey into it.

• Add more honey to taste, if you wish.

• Store in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

• Dose by the spoonful at night to help calm and relax. (Honey should not be used with children under 1 year old.)

Note: You can make larger or smaller batches – keeping a ratio of about 2 parts lemon balm infusion to 1 part honey.

Make a glycerite:

Glycerites are a sweet way to dose herbal medicine without the alcohol that regular tinctures contain. Herbal infused glycerin can also be used as an ingredient in lotions, toners and aftershave recipes.

To make a lemon balm glycerite:

• Fill a jar with fresh lemon balm leaves.

• Cover with a mixture of 3 parts vegetable glycerine to 1 part water.

• Cap and let this sit in a dark place for 3 to 4 weeks.

• Strain.

• Dose is 1/2 to 1 teaspoon as needed to relax and calm.

• Store in your refrigerator for several months.

Resources:

Lemon Balm Monograph — HerbRally by Sara Hazard

History of Lemon Balm (herballegacy.com)