Lemon Balm Names

Native to northwestern Africa, the Madeira Islands, the Canary Islands, southern Europe, and western Asia, lemon balm is now widely distributed around the world due to its incredible adaptability to different kind of climates and soils, to the point of often being considered a weed.

The oldest known name for lemon balm is melissophyllon, a Greek word meaning 'honey leaf,' later derived into another Greek word, melissa, meaning 'honey bee' and used to name the lemon balm genus. The origin of both words is related to the intense sweet-lemony scent of the leaves and flowers of lemon balm, which are famous for attracting bees and butterflies.

Lemon Balm Names Around the World

People who discover the benefits of Melissa officinalis usually wonders how is called lemon balm in Hindi, a culture with a rich tradition in herbalism, or what names receive lemon balm in Spanish. Being clearly a valuable herb, lemon balm's popularity has crossed cultural and linguistic frontiers, and it has been named in a variety of ways since ancient times.

These are some of the most popular names of lemon balm around the world:

Arabic names: Louiza, merzizou, mufarrehal qhalb, utrajul raihath, warqe habaqe rauhawi

Chinese names: Xiang feng cao, xiang feng hua, xiang feng ye (Mandarin); Heung fung chou (Cantonese)

Czech name: Medunka lékarská

Dutch names: Citroenmelisse, melissa citroen, melisse, pflanzensaft, sitronmelisse

Danish and Norwegian names: Citron melisse, citronmilisse, hjertensfryd, moderurt

English names: Balm, balm mint, bee balm, blue balm, heart's delight, melissa, common balm, cure-all, dropsy plant, English balm, garden balm, honey plant, lemon melissa, mountain balm, sweet balm, sweet Mary

Estonian name: Sidrunmeliss

Finish name: Sitruunamelissa

French names: Baume, citra, citragon, citronnelle, mélisse, herbe au citron, thé de France, valverde boutons de fievre crème

German names: Bienenfang, bienenkraut, bienensaug, citronenmelisse, darmgichtkraut, Englische brennessel, frauenkraut, garten-melisse, gastrovegetalin, herzbrot, herzkraut, herztrost, honigblatt, immenchrut, ivenblatt, limonikraut, lomaherpan, melissa, melisse, melissenblatt, melissengeist, melisse pflanzensaft, nervenkräutel, riechnessel, salatkräutle, Spanischer salbei, wanzenkraut, zahnwehkraut, zitronella, zitronenkraut, zitronenmelisse

Hindi names: Baadranjboyaa, billilotan

Hungarian names: Citromfu, méhfu, mézontófu, orvosi citromfu

Italian names: Citronella, cedronella, erba limona, melissa vera

Korean name: Kyullhyangphul

Latin names: Melissa officinalis, Melissa officinalis L., folia citronellae, folia melissae, citratae, melissae, citronellae, melissae folium, Melissa oleum

Persian names: Badranjboya, taragarbha

Polish name: Melissa lekarska

Portuguese and Brazilian names: Erva-cidreira, melissa

Russian names: Melissa, melissa lekarstvennaja, limonajamjata, matotschnik, roewnik, ptschel'nik, papotschnaja trawa

Slovak name: Citra

Slovenian name: Navadna melisa

Spanish names: Balsamita mayor, citraria, melisa, meliza, toronjil

Swedish names: Citronmeliss, hjärtansfröjd, honungsblomma, melissört, modergräs

Whether lemon balm is spelled in Hindi or in Spanish, what is clear is that it has a great relevance in traditional medicine around of the world. Though often considered a weed by gardeners, lemon balm has long been a favorite of apothecaries and herbalists. Its many names demonstrate how valuable lemon balm's benefits are to different cultures.