Description

• Lippia alba, commonly known as bushy lippia, bushy matgrass, or lemon balm (though it is not a true lemon balm), is an aromatic shrub in the verbena family (Verbenaceae). It typically grows about 0.5–2 metres tall, with slender, arching or sprawling branches and opposite, oval to lance-shaped leaves with toothed margins. The leaves release a minty, citrus-like or herbal fragrance when crushed. Small flowers grow in dense, rounded to short cylindrical clusters and may be pale pink, lavender, lilac, or purplish, sometimes with a yellowish throat. The plant is widely used in traditional herbal teas and folk medicine.

Range

• Lippia alba is native to tropical and subtropical America, ranging from Mexico and the Caribbean through Central America and much of South America to Argentina. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.

Habitat

• It grows in seasonally dry tropical environments and a variety of open habitats, including scrub, woodland margins, thickets, riverbanks, and disturbed ground. It can also occur in sandy or gravelly areas near the coast. The species tolerates warm conditions and seasonal dryness and often grows in sunny or partly shaded locations.