Melittis Melissophyllum

Bastard balm is a strongly aromatic European woodland perennial with softly hairy, wrinkled leaves on upright square stems. From late spring into summer it produces whorls of large, orchid-like tubular flowers in white, pink or purple, often with a richly coloured lower lip. The foliage has a sweet honeyed scent when brushed, and the flowers are popular with bees. Native populations occur in light woodland and scrub, including a few British sites. It is an elegant, long-lived shade plant for humus-rich soil, combining fragrance, unusual flower form and wildlife value.