Bastard Balm - Melittis melissophyllum

Submitted by Mark McD on

About 5 years ago I bought this plant from a nursery in Vermont, Melittis melissophyllum, not having a clue as to what to expect with this unfamiliar item. It has flowered reliably each year, and I find it a delightful aromatic plant with showy over-sized white mint blooms. It is a member of the mint family or Lamiaceae. I haven't bothered to learn more about this plant until I googled it today. Apparently is is a widespread and highly variable European plant, found all the way to Turkey. My plant appears to be an "alba" form, as most forms have a pink lip, and some are dramatically colored near red, such as in the cultivar Melittis melissophyllum 'Royal Velvet Distinction':
http://www.heronswood.com/product/melittis-melissophyllum-royal-velvet/

Doing a google image search reveals considerable variation... now I want to grow more forms of this plant.
http://www.google.com/search?q=Melittis+melissophyllum&hl=en&biw=1272&bih=801&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=avLqTZupH8zTgQfozazYCQ&ved=0CCoQsAQ

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melittis_melissophyllum

Comments

Submitted by Barstow on Sun, 06/05/2011 - 01:32

Wow! Great shot. My (bicoloured) plant has never been quite so floriferous - I should maybe give it some sustainance! Also shown a post-flowering shot of ssp. albida in the Copenhagen botanics. Sometimes used as a flavouring in drinks.

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Submitted by Tim Ingram on Sun, 06/05/2011 - 04:56

Its nice to see this plant - it grows in Britain but I've never seen it in its native setting. It has been a lovely plant in the garden, flowering later than its relative Lamium orvala and not self-seeding with such freedom, but showing quite a bit of variation. It is a very popular nursery plant, and it is easy to see why, it has that understated charm about it.

Submitted by Mark McD on Sun, 06/05/2011 - 06:12

Skulski wrote:

Very attractive, both yours and the bicoloured forms!  Do you collect seed?   ;)

Funny how one likes what one doesn't have, so of course I am desirous of the pink or purple-lipped two-tone forms! :rolleyes:  Although this clean white form is very attractive and shows up well in the garden.  Regarding seed, I never noticed, but this spring I found one seedling in the spot where I used to have this plant, where it sulked in a spot too dry and sunny.  The foliage has a pleasing light aromatic scent.