The gourmet hobby gardeners know it well: lemon balm tastes particularly good shortly before flowering. So that you don't miss this important date, we will inform you about all the details here.
When is the flowering time of lemon balm?
The flowering period of lemon balm extends from June to August, with the aroma at its best shortly before flowering. If you wait too long, the leaves may take on a bitter taste.
June to August is flowering time
Lemon balm is a herbaceous perennial and reaches heights of 40 to 90 centimeters. Thanks to its hardy nature, it blooms repeatedly for many years. The small, white, yellow or bluish lip flowers appear in a whorled arrangement on the plant stem from June onwards.
Flower destroys the aroma
Unless you are cultivating lemon balm solely as a scented plant, we recommend a first harvest shortly before flowering. If you wait too long, the leaves will take on a bitter taste. How to do it right:
- shorten the branches to 10 centimeters in the early morning hours shortly before flowering
- the lemon balm sprouts again from the stem remains
If you aim to propagate lemon balm by sowing, the plant may bloom in August until it wilts. As a result, brown capsule fruits with seeds develop.
