Lovely Lemon Balm

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Indexed  July 27, 2011

Imagine the aromatic joy of walking through a field of this lemony plant in bloom, buzzing with happy bees! The blissfully uplifting perfume of Lemon Balm is one of our very favorite mood elevating scents. A lovely member of the Lamiaceae or Mint family, Melissa officinalis is known for its wonderful ability to calm rattled nerves, improve mental performance, and shoo away those dark rain clouds that seem to shadow our heads from time to time. Helpful and easy to grow, Lemon Balm will also support your health during a bout with the common cold or herpes virus.  The fragrant green leaves can be prepared for a variety of formulas. If you are using the fresh plant, making a preserved juice from the leaves, also known as a succus, is delightful. Simply juice the leaves and add 1 part grain alcohol to 3 parts fresh juice. You can also make fresh plant tincture, perhaps with a few of the delicate and charming little flowers added to the chopped leaf, soaked in 100 proof vodka.  A refreshing iced tea can be made with dried lemon balm leaf , spearmint leaf , and hibiscus flowers or you can use a strong infusion of the leaf as a wash for skin irritations. A cold infusion or sun tea made with finely chopped fresh leaf is another quick method that yields a delicious and potent treat.    See the complete post here