Last Updated on November 12, 2020
There are so many wonderful uses for lemon balm! This beautiful and fragrant herb makes a soothing tea perfect for unwinding after a stressful day.
Lemon balm uses include promoting sleep, alleviating anxiety, soothing digestive issues, treating itchy insect bites, and much more. Plus it tastes delicious and its flowers are great for pollinators. Whether you grow it yourself or buy it dried, lemon balm is an herb worth getting to know.
Fantastic Uses for Lemon Balm
If you haven’t yet discovered lemon balm, let me introduce you to your new favorite herb. It’s a perfect gateway into the exciting world of herbal remedies, and one of the first I tried for treating common health issues naturally.
Now my garden is full of homegrown natural remedies that we use for pain relief, digestive issues, and so much more.
Like many people, having kids made falling back and staying asleep really challenging. In my quest to reset my messed-up sleep, lemon balm tea was one of the most effective things I found to help me get better quality zzzzzs. I drink a cup pretty much every night now and have slept so much better since incorporating lemon balm into my evening routine.
If sleep is an issue you struggle with, too, give lemon balm tea a try. To be sure your body has what it needs for good sleep, get plenty of these nutrients that can affect sleep as well. Here are additional sleep-promoting herbs you can try.
I love lemon balm so much that I’m letting it take over huge portions of my not-very-big yard. Even if you don’t garden, consider getting dried lemon balm to add to your arsenal of herbal soothers.
But the wonderful uses for lemon balm go way beyond sleep-promoting tea!
Check out these uses for lemon balm in the garden, for cleaning, and as a tasty addition to numerous recipes.
Medicinal Benefits of Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a favorite among herbalists for its soothing properties.
Lemon balm is prized for promoting relaxation and sleep. That’s my primary use for it — after having kids waking me in the night for years, my sleep was a mess, even after they stopped most of the nighttime noise.
I tried everything I could to re-program my body to sleep more soundly, and lemon balm tea made a big difference. If you’re a restless sleeper, or you wake and have trouble falling back asleep, please try some lemon balm and see if it helps!
You’ll find instructions on how to make lemon balm tea below.
Additional benefits of lemon balm:
- Lemon balm has antiviral properties and is often recommended for treating cold sores. It may help with other viruses as well.
- Lemon balm may relieve menstrual cramps and headaches.
- Lemon balm may help with indigestion and nausea.
- Some people find it helps ease stress and anxiety.
- Lemon balm is being studied as a treatment for type 2 diabetes.
- Lemon balm might also have benefits for heart health.
- One small study suggested a benefit of lemon balm is improved cognitive function.
- Lemon balm essential oil has many medicinal uses as well, and has been studied for alleviating dementia symptoms, skin conditions, and more.
Note that lemon balm is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women.
One recent report suggests caution about dosage and prolonged use to avoid withdrawal symptoms. If you’re a lemon balm tea lover, consider alternating with other effective sleep teas and mixing in other soothing herbs like chamomile.
Benefits of Lemon Balm in the Garden
- Lemon balm attracts pollinators, which means more food for you! Its botanical name, Melissa officinalis comes from the Greek for “bee.” Pollinators need all the help they get these days, so adding lemon balm to your perennial bed is an eco-friendly move.
- Lemon balm reportedly helps ward off insects, though I haven’t found it particularly effective. Simply having plants in your landscape may help, though I wouldn’t count on it during peak mosquito time. I get bitten plenty while picking my lemon balm if the bugs have had good weather for reproduction. (Here’s a natural mosquito control solution that actually prevents them from living in your yard if you can get rid of all other water sources.)
- Add some sprigs to your floral arrangement if you’re dining al fresco and they might discourage insects from crashing your party.
- Some people report success crushing lemon balm leaves and rubbing them on the skin as a DIY bug repellent. Lemon balm is also supposed to help with the itch from bugbites, so if it fails as a repellent, use it on the bite!
Lemon Balm Uses in the Home and Kitchen
- Lemon balm adds a lovely lemony seasoning for all kinds of food and drinks. (See recipes below)
- Lemon balm can also be used as an easy scent for your home, whether in a bouquet, dried in potpourri, or thrown in your trash can to help with odor. You can even capitalize on its scent and antiviral properties and use it to infuse vinegar for your homemade cleaners. Scratch Mommy has some great suggestions for using lemon balm around your house and in DIY body products.
Related: Benefits of Hibiscus Tea ~ A Delicious Herb to Brew!
Want to learn more about using medicinal plants? Check out the stunning array of herbal courses offered by The Herbal Academy. Here’s a list of the courses they’re currently enrolling.
Where to Get & How to Grow Lemon Balm
Growing your own lemon balm is easy and the most cost-effective way to add this wonderful herb to your arsenal. (If you’re not a gardener yet, pick up my free quickstart guide to getting started gardening here.)
I also find the flavor of fresh lemon balm preferable to dried, though they’re both very tasty.
Lemon balm is a hardy perennial, one of many perennial plants to consider adding to a permaculture garden. A member of the mint family, though not quite as aggressive as common mint. Rather than taking over your entire garden, you’ll likely find new lemon balm plants popping up here and there in your yard because it spreads using plentiful seeds rather than underground like its cousin mint.
If you don’t want the extra plants, you can dig them up (and give them to another gardener). Cutting back the plant after it flowers can also help keep lemon balm under control. I’m happy to have them multiply and generally leave them be. More lemon balm tea!
Lemon balm seeds are cheap, but they may take a little knack to get going if you’re newer to gardening. A $2 packet comes with far more than you’ll ever use, so plan to share the rest with other gardeners.
You can get your first lemon balm plant as a division from a fellow gardener or buy one at a nursery, and eventually you’ll have as much as you need. They’re pretty tough perennials, so once they’re established you’ll enjoy them for years.
Note that though some sources say lemon balm is hardy to zone 5, it thrives here in chilly zone 4. If you live in a cool climate, it’s certainly worth a try. Those in climates zone 9 and warmer may have trouble growing lemon balm in the heat — consult your local nursery for suggestions.
Lemon balm is a lovely addition to any garden, with vibrant green leaves, a delicious smell, and a pleasant clumping habit. And if you’re trying to get rid of grass, its ability to spread makes lemon balm a good base for a no-mow perennial yard. (More on why to consider grass alternatives here.)
Lemon balm is also one of the herbs that grow in shade, good news if your garden is on the shady side like mine. Here are more than 45 vegetables for shade you can try as well.
How to Make Lemon Balm Tea
To make lemon balm tea with fresh lemon balm:
During the warmer months, every other day or so I gather a big bunch of lemon balm together with a little catnip and yarrow, sometimes with a little borage plant or wild violet. I fill a cereal bowl with the leaves, and when I squeeze it together and have a full handful I consider it done, but the amounts you use do not need to be precise.
I rinse the lot and brew my lemon balm and other herbs in boiled filtered water for several hours, and sometimes overnight. (Read why it’s wise to filter your water here if you don’t want a host of chemicals in your soothing tea.)
I use a large teapot I brought back from England many years ago. It brews enough for several big mugs of tea, so I don’t have to make it every day. You could also use a large pitcher and keep it in your fridge.
If you want to try preserving and have enough surplus, you could dry some lemon balm for use in the cooler months. You can also make a tincture, which will extract more of lemon balm’s active compounds.
>>> Lemon balm is one of the many herbs from your garden that can be brewed into delicious and refreshing sun tea. Click the link for instructions and find out about other wonderful herbs you might be enjoying!
Lemon balm flowers are among the more than 150 edible flowers you might consider adding to your next meal.
To make tea from dried lemon balm:
If you lack growing space, time, or interest in growing your own lemon balm, buying dried lemon balm leaf in bulk is the cheapest way to get your lemon balm fix.
One of the top sources for high-quality herbs is Mountain Rose Herbs, where you’ll find a stunning array of organic loose herbs and spices at very reasonable prices.
A 1-pound bag of lemon balm will make dozens of large pots of tea, plus you get to skip all the packaging waste that comes with tea bags. A pound of dried lemon balm usually lasts me through two winters, or about a whole calendar year, as the growing season here is so short.
To brew lemon tea from dried herb, use 1 tablespoon per cup of water. I sometimes add a spoonful of nettle, oatstraw, or scullcap, for their additional soothing properties. Here are additional herbal tea recipes to try to help you add more health-supporting herbs to your daily routine.
If you prefer bags, Traditional Medicinals makes a lemon balm tea. You’ll just pay a lot more for that good night’s sleep!
Another bagged alternative worth considering: On an extended trip in Europe recently I discovered a delicious and effective sleep tea to stand in for my nightly lemon balm, since traveling with loose tea for 2 months is a little cumbersome.
It’s called “Snore and Peace” by Clipper — and it’s organic and easy to get online! It has chamomile and lavender as well as lemon balm, and it’s become my new favorite for travel. Check it out here. (The 8-pack is the most economical option, just under $4 a box, but if you’re traveling in England you should stock up — just 2 pounds each.)
Drink a cup or two of lemon balm tea a few hours before bed to promote relaxation and a better night’s sleep. You can also enjoy a more diluted lemon balm tea iced as an alternative to lemonade. Just don’t overdo it. I save mine for nighttime, but a little during the day shouldn’t make you feel drowsy or anything. It’s not as powerful as valerian in my experience, and some people report finding it useful for soothing stress during the day.
Other Cool Uses for Lemon Balm
♦ The Nerdy Farm Wife uses the antiviral properties of lemon balm and makes a cold sore relieving lip balm. She also has a lemon balm bug spray recipe she says has worked for her.
♦ Shalom Mama packs the benefits of lemon balm into a DIY sleep balm.
♦ Culinary uses include fruit salads, smoothies, seasoning for poultry and fish dishes, and added to baked goods. Anywhere you want a light lemony flavor, try adding a handful of chopped lemon balm.
♦ Lemon balm can be made into pesto. Check out this recipe from Vegalicious.
♦ Kathie at Homespun Seasonal Living puts lemon balm in her serviceberry jam. Yum!
♦ The Hungry Scribbler uses lemon balm in a roasted blueberry and lemon balm ice cream.
What are your favorite uses for lemon balm? Do you use or grow it? If not, check out the links below to find sources to buy your own lemon balm and start enjoying these terrific lemon balm benefits!
Pin to save these uses for lemon balm for later!
Disclaimer: I’m a health enthusiast, not a medical professional. Content on this website is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to provide personalized medical advice. I draw on numerous health sources, some of which are linked above. Please consult them for more information and a licensed professional for personalized recommendations.
Photo credits: Andrea_44, Quinn Dombrowski, Monikapp, City Foodsters, conger design
Susannah is a proud garden geek and energy nerd who loves healthy food and natural remedies. Her work has appeared in Mother Earth Living, Ensia, Northern Gardener, Sierra, and on numerous websites. Her first book, Everything Elderberry, released in September 2020 and has been a #1 new release in holistic medicine, naturopathy, herb gardening, and other categories. Find out more and grab your copy here.
Hi, I'm Susannah, a garden geek, energy nerd, and fan of healthy food and natural remedies. Need some simple, practical solutions for living healthier and greener? You've come to the right place! More about me and my green projects
Ilene says
Lemon balm can be very invasive in the garden!
Susannah says
I find a few stray plants, but I’m happy about that and let them alone. I think less severe climates make them more aggressive?
Jo Bishop says
Susannah, I think your reply about colder climates limiting Lemon Balm may be accurate. In our Northern Georgia climate I have to grow it in pots to keep the Lemon Balm from crowding out other plants. Even with our heavy clay soil-it grows invasively. And if it receives lots of water-it is worse!
Jeff says
I saw a picture of lemon balm leaves and steam up side down in a glass pitcher. Do I put in cold water and let strap in the hot sun for how many hours to get sleep time tea ?
From gardener Jeff
Susannah says
Jeff, I haven’t tried it as a sun tea. I use freshly boiled water and steep it for several hours. If you make it as a sun tea, please let me know how it goes!
Susan Rarick says
Last year I made lemon b alm tincture in the spring and fall. The spring tincture was delicious, the fall nasty tasting. I thought I did something wrong in the fall tincture, so I shelved it. I bought some at the health food store and it was tastey like my spring tincture. Later I bought another brand, and sure enough it tasted like fall. I will repeat what I did last year to find if that was it. Both work fine.
Susannah says
Interesting! I wonder what’s different in fall. My tea tastes great right up through the frost. Thanks for sharing!
Norma Baker says
You mentioned using it to help you sleep. How do you use it for sleep? If you said, I totally missed it.
Thanks!
Susannah says
Hi Norma,
I drink a big cup of the tea I make from it: “During the warmer months, every other day I gather a big bunch of lemon balm together with a little catnip and yarrow. I brew them in boiled filtered water for several hours, and sometimes overnight. … I sometimes add a spoonful of nettle, oatstraw, or scullcap, for their additional soothing properties. But if you prefer bags, Traditional Medicinals makes a lemon balm tea. You’ll just pay a lot more for that good night’s sleep!”
I’ll see about highlighting that info further. Thanks for the comment!
Amy says
Do you have to dry the leaves to make the tea?
Susannah says
Nope, they can go right from the garden. I think it tastes brighter and better that way 🙂 Enjoy!
Anna says
What volume of tea are you making with your big bunch of lemon balm?
Thank you
Susannah says
I just measured my teapot, and it holds about 1 liter, or a bit over 4 cups. I pick enough leaves to loosely fill 2 cups, but rinsed and squeezed they’re a big handful. Hope you like it!
Anna says
Great! Thank you. I’m making some right now ?
Susannah says
Awesome! Tell me what you think 🙂
Anna says
Well, I was expecting a lemony taste, but it tasted pleasantly “green” instead. Since then I have experimented mixing it with peppermint, and will try mixing it with other herbs as they are available. Thanks again for sharing 🙂
Susannah says
Glad you liked it, Anna! I suspect it would be tasty with peppermint, but I tend to think of that as too energizing for bedtime. I’ve mixed the dry leaves with chamomile and liked that pretty well. Let me know what other combinations work for you. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Jill says
You mentioned zone 4, what about zone 9? How does it do in hot weather?
Susannah says
It does fine here when temps hit the 90s. I found a mention in the Times-Picayune that it does well in New Orleans, but many other sites say zone 7 as the southernmost range. I suspect this tough plant could handle sustained heat, especially if you can grow other mints in your area. I would see if any gardeners you know have some to share or talk to a local nursery if you plan to get a plant, as there may be varieties suited to your climate. Talk to a seed company before buying seeds. Let me know if you have success!
Laura says
I was about to ask about this, too. zone 10 here. I’ve read that it does not thrive here, and often doesn’t make it through the summers. I am on my second try. I’m keeping it in a pot and taking it in and out of the house as the temperature etc change. It’s not doing well. Any hints would be welcome. I’m from up north where it took over the front garden. I miss my tea!
Susannah says
Oh, Laura, I’m sorry to hear it! BUT as a northerner you must have pined to grow all those luscious tropical fruits we can’t grow up here? I can’t imagine how wonderful it is to walk out your door and pick citrus or peaches! So I’m saying, maybe it’s best to find the silver lining? I did see at least one site mentioning it growing in zone 10, and I would think shade would help. I’ve never had herbs stay happy in pots for long, but our house doesn’t get enough sun.
Your best bet might be to talk to someone at a local nursery and see if they can get some from your area? Maybe there are varieties better suited to heat.
In the meantime, dried lemon balm is cheap and tasty (see Amazon link above.) Let me know what you do!
Krysta says
I am in Southern Mississippi (8 I think) and I have a ton of Lemon Balm growing here. It grows best here in partial shade, and usually grows taller than 5′.
For insect repellent in the yard, mow it.
Susannah says
Wow, sounds amazing! You’ve found when it’s mowed that it helps keep bugs away? I assume that’s because mowing will release a lot of its scent at once. How long does the effect last?
Jim Warga says
As per one of the worlds leading authorities on herbs, James A Duke Ph.D. author of ( The Green Pharmacy ) He recommends Lemon Balm for as rapid cure for cold sours ( Herpes simplex ) My wife has used it several times with good success.
Susannah says
Indeed! There’s a recipe for a DIY cold-sore relieving balm at the bottom of the post. Did your wife use a balm or just apply a leaf directly?
Bonnie Beecy says
I have always had lemon balm in my garden for as long as I can remember. Although I haven’t brewed hot tea I do enjoy a sprig or two in my iced tea, lemonade or water. Most of all I love to just run my hands through the plant and inhale its wonderful fragrance for a pick me up while I’m gardening. 🙂
Carol says
I discovered by accident that lemon balm tea helped my diabetes greatly, I told my doctor & he looked it up & was surprised to find that is true. I pick a handful, put it in a plastic pitcher & stick it in the microwave for 10 minutes, When it cools I keep it in the fridge & before I go to bed I warm a cup & put sweetener in it. It definitely makes a difference in my sugar count the next morning. I taught my doctor something. lol
Susannah says
That’s great, Carol! Interesting that doesn’t come up in the U Maryland write up. Thanks for sharing this!
Since I spend so much time writing about how to avoid unhealthy compounds, I can’t help but think your drink would be better still without the plastic, which you’re never supposed to put in a microwave. I tend to avoid the microwave for any herbal decoction, as I want to preserve their superpowers as much as possible. You could simply boil water then pour it over the leaves if you wanted to make your drink as healthy as possible 🙂
Kristy LifenReflection says
Lemon balm is one of my favorites in my herb garden too. It’s really easy to grow as most mints are and I love using in my homemade skin care recipes.
Susannah says
Agreed!
Megan Stevens says
So many great insights; thank you! I love that HerbPharm tincture option!
Susannah says
Have you tried it? I tried the supplements and didn’t feel they worked as well. Haven’t tried a tincture yet.
Regina says
I find all the above information great. I have a garden of many herbs with something that looks like the lemon balm that is pictured above. We call it mint and really I don’t know the difference. All I Know is that I wash it and boil it together with rosemary for anout five minutes and when it is cooled a bit, I add honey honey to it in a cup and drink it. It tastes very nice and I feel relaxed too.
Please what is the difference between mint and lemon balm
Susannah says
Regina, lemon balm is in the mint family but smells *very* lemony when you tear a leaf. If it smells minty, you’ve got one of many possible kinds of mint. Mint leaves generally look different as well. Hope that helps!
Dee Peterson says
I have alot of lemon balm all over the yard, husband loves to mow over it a bit because it smells so nice. In the summer months I pick both lemon balm and spearmint leaves and boil them then sweeten with honey. The most refreshing drink for summer and healthy.
Susannah says
Sounds great! Herbs are wonderful to have in the garden, aren’t they?
Lynn says
I really love the smell of lemon balms. But didn’t know more about it’s health benefits and uses, so thank you for writing this article.
Susannah says
Hope you try it for some of its other stellar qualities!
Carol Little R.H. @studiobotanica says
I think that Lemon Balm is my favourite herb! Thanks for spreading the word about this very sweet but very powerful herbal ally!!
Cherished member of my garden. Love nourishing the babies and giving them to friends — YaY Melissa !!
Sharon Sombrero says
I definitely have to get some lemon balm. I am intrigued by all its uses you listed here. And the benefits are wide-ranging. Thanks for the tips.
Sharon says
I definitely try this lemon balm! I prefer this at night, I used to drink teas before bed time, this is perfect!
Lee says
I love lemon balm tea. It helps me relax and sleep well. I love its mild aroma.
Delowar says
Lemon balm — My absolute favorite for homemade sleep tea. Also good for soothing headaches, tummy troubles, and anxiety.
Helen France says
I feed it to my two mini-rex rabbits … they love it! They are at least ten years old, so I think the lemon balm helps to keep them healthy …
Susannah says
Interesting!