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NAME : BALM
GAELIC NAME : Balsam, Íocshláinte.
LATIN NAME : Melissa officinalis.
COMMON / FOLK NAMES : Balm Mint, Bee Balm, Blue Balm, Cure-all, Dropsy plant
garden balm, Lemon Balm, Melissa, Sweet Balm. Bee Balm, Lemon Balsam, Sweet Melissa.
MEDICINAL PART : Herb, leaves.
PLACES OF ORIGIN : The Mediterranean area and in the near east countries. Is
also naturalized in some places in the U.S.
HABITAT
: Grows wild in fields and gardens and along roadsides. Is also
cultivated.
FLOWERING PERIOD : July and August.
DESCRIPTION : Balm is a perennial plant. The stem is upright, hairy,
quadrangular, and branched and grows as high as 3 feet. The leaves are opposite, ovate,
long-petioled, somewhat hairy, bluntly serrate, and acuminate. The bilabite flowers grow
in axillary clusters and may vary in colour from pale yellow to rose colored or
blue-white. When bruised, the whole plant smells like lemon.
PROPERTIES : Antispasmodic, Calmative, Carminative, Diaphoretic, Emmenagogue,
Stomachic.
USES : Balm is a remedy for all sorts of nervous problems, hysteria,
melancholy, and insomnia. Use balm tea to relive cramps, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic,
chronic bronchial catarrh, and some forms of asthma. Try it also for migraine and
toothache, and, during pregnancy, for headaches and dizziness. The warm infusion has
diaphoretic effects. An infusion of the leaves added to bath water is also said to promote
the onset of menstruation. Use the crushed leaves as a poultice for sores, tumors,
milk-knot, and insect bites. Balm is also used in herb pillows because of its agreeable
odor.
Preparation : Collect the plant before or after flowering. The fresh plant is
more effective than the dried.
MAGICAL PROPERTIES
GENDER : Feminine
PLANET : Moon
ELEMENT : Water
POWERS : Love, Success, Healing.
RITUAL USES
For love use while calling upon Aengus Óg. For success use
while calling upon Dadga or Lugh. For healing use while calling upon Diancecht
or Áine.
MAGICAL USES
Can be used in all spell for success. Has amazing powers of
healing.
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Last Updated -
August 3, 2023
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