Zoom on herbs Forgotten herbs Melissa Melissa
Melissa officinale
- Name: Melissa
- Latin name: Melissa officinale
- Harvest area: Mediterranean border
- Harvest period: june- august
- Properties:
Description:
This plant, with nectar rich flowers, owes its name to the fact that it attracts bumblebees, melissa means bumblebee in Greek.
Dedicated to the goddess Diana, it has been used by the Greeks for more than 2000 years.
Cultivation:
Originating from the regions around the Mediterranean, Melissa is a vivacious plant, which today is acclimatised and cultivated in all temperate areas, in North America and in Europe.
All parts above the ground are harvested at the beginning of flowering from June to mid August.
Uses:
The taste of the leaves is astringent and their aroma light.
In cuisine, Melissa gives a fresh flavour to meats, poultry, fish, fruit salads and vegetables.
In Spain it is used to flavour milk.
It is among the ingredients of certain liqueurs such as Benedictine and Chartreuse.
It also provides a very good honey.