
Melissa is another name for lemon balm, a leafy herb of the mint family that grows across southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Its name comes from the Greek word for honeybee, since bees love its flowers. The leaves brew a light, fresh cup with a gentle lemon scent, a hint of mint and a soft, grassy sweetness. Melissa blends well with chamomile, peppermint, lemongrass, verbena and green tea, and it is lovely hot in the evening or iced in summer.
Learn about every ingredient we use in our Tea Ingredients A–Z.