Lemon Balm

Description

It is a hardy perennial that will grow 48 inches high. You can harvest all the leaves. Lemon Balm has been cultivated in the Mediterranean region for around 2000 years. In the 16th Century, Lemon Balm was rubbed onto beehives to encourage the bees to produce honey.

Origin(s): Bulgaria, Ecuador, United States.

Latin Name(s): Melissa officinalis

Also known as: Melissa, Sweet Balm, Balm mint, bee balm, blue balm.

Plant Part(s) Used: Leaf.

Appearance: Pale green.

Aroma: Leafy, citrus.

Taste: Leafy, citrus.

GMO Status: Non-GMO.

Allergen: None.

Additives: Free of any additives or preservatives.

Applications / Preparations: Can be put into capsules, teas, soups, stews, rice, vegetables, salads, chicken, fish essential oil or infused as an herbal extract. For cosmetic use can be infused in oil for soaps, creams, lotions & ointments. For aromatic use can be put in potpourri mixtures, sachets & herbal pillows. For household use can be infused to make natural household cleaners.

Storage: Store in a sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Shelf Life: It is very difficult to pin down an exact expiration date for most single herbs as they do not really expire, they lose potency or strength over time but will still have value. Unlike synthetic material or drugs, herbs can contain many constituents that contribute to their medicinal effects. Even if when we know what the active constituents are, there are often many of them in a single herb, each with different rates of degradation. Some herbs lose their effect more easily. Other herbs that possess more stable compounds such as alkaloids or steroids will last much longer.

A huge part of the degradation rate of herbs depends also on the storage conditions of the herb, & even on the quality of the herb before storage – how it was grown, harvested, dried & processed. If the product is left in hot places or open to sunlight then it will degrade much quicker than if it was stored in cool, dry place & sealed tightly.

A good rule of thumb is that herbs should be stored no longer than 2-3 years but many herbs will have great strength much longer than that. To determine if a an herb is still good you can check the appearance & aroma. Herbs that are no longer acceptable will have lost much of its vibrant color & will instead appear dull & faded. The bigger key though is to smell the raw materials to see if the potent aroma is still present.