Herb ? Lemon Balm

I am not too bothered about it spreading..as it fills spaces.. :D
The list for lemon verbena goes on for ever and the leaves retain their scent if you harvest and dry them ..I suppose you allready know it can be used in many ways..here are some ways for those that are not familiar with it..and i must say its a brilliant plant to have even if you only have it for the scent value..Barwinnock herbs sell them quite cheap and the quality is good and they soon grow..
Medicinally ..
Lemon verbena is used for the following
Aloysia triphylla benefits:

strengthening the nervous system
de-stressing
anti-spasmodic
expectorant
helps with digestion
easing colic
feverish cold
reducing fevers
relieving spasms of digestive track (colon)


You can use lemon verbena in place of lemon zest in recipes. Virtually any fruit salad can be enhanced with it's finely chopped leaves. Bury 6 lemon verbena leaves in a cup of sugar that has been placed in a covered jar or container. Use this sugar to top muffins, fruit, or sprinkle on the top of muffin batter before baking. Because the leaf is rather tough you'll need to mince it very fine if you plan on leaving it in a dish, or add it whole and remove before serving. Dried, it should be crumbed before adding to recipes.

Process 10-15 lemon verbena leaves in a food processor with the sugar from your favorite sugar cookie recipe. Continue with the recipe as directed after processing the two together. The following recipes can also be used with fresh and dried lemon verbena or if it's not available try substituting lemon grass or lemon balm.

Lemon Verbena Potpourri
You will need:
dried peel of one lemon
2 cups dried lemon verbena leaves
1 cup dried chamomile flowers
6 inch cinnamon stick, crushed
1 cup dried calendula petals
1 tsp. orris root powder
2-3 drops lemon verbena essential oil (optional)
Dry the lemon peel by s****ing it off the lemon with a vegetable peeler, spread on paper and dry in a warm place for about 2 weeks, until crisp. Mix all the ingredients together. Seal in a tin and put in a warm place for about 2-3 weeks, shaking occasionally. Use to scent a room, or for sachets. Add more essential oil as the smell fades. Adapted from Kitchen and Herb Gardener by Richard Bird and Jessica Houdret

Lemon Verbena Syrup
Ingredients:
1 cup lemon verbena leaves
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
Blanch the lemon verbena leaves in boiling water briefly to brighten the color, then immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and cool. Place the lemon verbena and cooled syrup in a blender and pur�©e on high for 2 minutes. Chill overnight, then strain through a fine mesh strainer. Keep leftovers refrigerated. Use with ice cream, pound cake or other light desserts, as well as fruit.

Lemon Rose Tea
Ingredients:
1/2 cup torn lemon verbena leaves
1/4 cup rose hips
Honey
Place 4 cups of water in a teakettle or medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the lemon verbena and rose hips. Remove from the heat and steep for about 15 minutes. Return to the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Pour into individual tea cups or mugs, sweeten with honey and serve.

Lemon Verbena Cake
Ingredients:
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup butter flavored shortening
2 drops lemon extract
2 cups cake flour or regular flour sifted several times
1/4 cup fresh chopped Lemon Verbena leaves
5 eggs
Cream together the sugar and shortening until well mixed. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing for one minute after each addition. Add dry ingredients gradually, s****ing down the sides. Add the extract and the verbena leaves. Pour into a Bundt or tube pan, which is well coated with the shortening and floured. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden brown (testing with a toothpick). Remove to a cooling rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan onto a serving plate. Drizzle with glaze or dust with confectioners' sugar.

Lemon Verbena Scones
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh lemon verbena leaves
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup milk
Preheat oven to 425�º F. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. Cut in the butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the lemon verbena leaves; mix until combined just combined. Make a well in the center of flour mixture. Add the egg, yogurt, and milk, stirring well. Mix in with the flour mixture to form a soft dough. Coat a12-inch cast iron skillet with a non-stick cooking spray. With floured hands, pat the dough into skillet. Cut with a sharp, serrated knife into eight wedges. (You can also pat the dough into a circle this same size on a baking sheet, and then cut into wedges.) Bake at 425�º F for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Raspberry-Lemon Verbena Butter
From The Herb Companion
Ingredients:
1/2 pound unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
4 ounces fresh or frozen raspberries (not in syrup)
1 small handful young, tender lemon verbena leaves
Thaw the raspberries if frozen, and pour off any excess liquid. With all ingredients at room temperature, blend butter, sugar, and raspberries until smooth (about 3 minutes). Strip out any large veins in the lemon verbena leaves, then add the leaves (chopped if you're mixing by hand) and blend until the texture is pleasing.

Lemon Butter
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Grated peel of 1 lemon
4 to 6 fresh very finely minced lemon verbena leaves
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pur�©e until smooth. Refrigerate covered about 2 hours until firm.

Lemon Verbena Hair Rinse
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons lemon verbena leaves
1 cup boiling water
Pour the boiling water over the lemon verbena leaves. Steep for about an hour. Strain the mixture, discarding herb. Use as a rinse after shampoo and conditioning your hair.

Salt-Free Herb Seasoning
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dried dill weed
1 tbsp. dried lemon verbena
1/2 cup dried minced onion
1 tbsp. dried lovage, or celery seeds
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. paprika
1 tbsp. dried marjoram
In batches, grind all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container out of the sunlight and away from heat.

 

I brought a small piece of lemonbalm North from my Herefordshire garden around 8 years ago, and it has formed a lovely, fragrant bush. I have never had a problem with it spreading - atall. I still only have the one clump. Are there different varieties? I seem to have the well-behaved kind!

 

Mine hasnt spread as much as some people imagine either its just a clump of it and its not really a problem..I have herbs that are a problem to some with their spreading habits but Lemon Balm isnt one of them..I have split mine twice so that may be why and i have probably harvested it before it self seeds..Its not a particuarly handsome plant but the scent is of value in the garden..

 

Thats a good tip Shiney saving those washing powder tablets bags they would be usefull for other herb baths as well..I personally dont really mind things spreading around but i know others are not so keen.. :( I love seing something thats spread even growing through concrete its surviving !! :D :D Their are some tidy gardeners around that wouldnt be so amused..

 

My wild area needs dead heading as i left the seed heads on for the birds ..It can wait till its a bit warmer .I havnt really got any tidy areas as i only have wildflowers /herbs and the flower beds are full to bursting..This is our last year here so i will be leaving the weeding behind for someone else.. :D :D

 

I'm glad I'm not the only 'untidy' gardener around! I leave seedheads for the birds, and dried, hollow stalks are leftin situ - or left ontop of the soil for insects, and then nestbuilding etc.

I have moved gardens a few times - and have brought something (or often somethings) with me to my new garden every time.

Do you have a new garden to move into - if so, what are your plans? And what are you taking with you? (it's so exciting!)

 

I wont be taking much with me as i can easily replace everything from barwinock herbs for a small amount of money....I intended to take my butterbur with me and maybe a couple of ivys..But i will be seed colecting this summer.But my arch has broken in the winds so i may have to pot the climbers up from it and then i might just take them with me..
And i shall take a cutting off my elderbery tree with me..and thats about it..
I just hope i dont inherit a garden full of plants i detest ..my o/h has his head set on a new house so that means a blank canvas so that suits me fine..I probably wont have so much garden to play with next time so it will have to be done on a smaller scale..