Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) Growing in Aomori, Japan
This photo shows a lemon balm plant (Melissa officinalis) growing in Aomori(青森), Japan. The lemon balm is competing favorably against the other plants here, which include small seedlings of the the native plant Mitsuba(三つ葉), Cryptotaenia japonica, and other plants.
Lemon balm, native to Europe through central Asia, has been widely planted in gardens and has become an invasive plant in some locations, including East Asia and North America.
This image is featured in our article on Invasive Herbs for Herbal Tea.
