Elsholtzia ciliata

Flower name
Elsholtzia ciliata
Scientific name
Elsholtzia ciliata
Alias香薷, 薙刀香薷, Vietnamese Lemon Mint
Place of originAsia, including Japan
Place of floweringFields and footpaths, Low mountains
Flowering seasonMay, June, July

What is Elsholtzia ciliata

Elsholtzia ciliata or Vietnamese Lemon Balm (scientific name: Elsholtzia ciliata) is an annual herb native to temperate regions of Asia, including Japan, belonging to the family Lamiaceae and the genus Elsholtzia. In Japan, it grows wild in mountains and along roadsides from Hokkaido to Kyushu. The plant is 30-60 cm tall and well branched. The stem is square in cross section and has soft hairs. The leaves are 3-9 cm long, 1-4 cm wide, egg-shaped, and acutely pointed. In September and October, spikelets of 4 cm long grow from the tips of branches and leaf axils and bear lip-shaped, narrowly lobed, 0.5 cm long, pale reddish-purple flowers in one direction only. The flowers bloom from the bottom up. There are four stamens. The whole plant has a strong odor.

Origin of the flower name
The name is derived from the flower spikes shaped like naginata and the fragrance of the flowers, which is similar to that of a Chinese medicinal herb called kouju.

Common name: Elsholtzia ciliata, scientific name: Elsholtzia ciliata , aka: Vietnamese Lemon Balm, Vietnamese Lemon Mint (Elsholtzia ciliata), Habitat type: annual herb, Habitat type: Hokkaido - Kyushu, Living environment: mountainous areas and roadsides, Height: 30-60 cm, well branched, Stem: quadrangular, with soft hairs, Leaf length: 3-9 cm, Leaf width: 1-4 cm, Leaf shape: ovate with acute heads, Leaf margin: coarsely serrate, Phyllotaxy: opposite, Flowering period: 9-10 Flowering season September-October; Flowering place: branch tips or leaf axils; Flower ear length: 4 cm; Flower color: pale reddish purple; Corolla length: 0.5 cm; Corolla shape: lip-shaped with narrow lobes; Number of stamens: 4; Fruit length: 0.15 cm; Note: The whole plant has a strong odor.