Melittis 'Royal Velvet Distinction'
Bastard Balm 'Royal Velvet Distinction'
'Bastard Balm' is native to south west England, the New Forest and south west Wales. An aromatic plant in the mint family, it grows in shady, moist, woodland conditions. It has erect hairy stems with opposite pairs of oval, bluntly toothed and softly hairy leaves. The flowers, which grow in the axils of the leaves, are white with a large pinkish purple blotch on the lower lip. 'Royal Velvet Distinction' bears white flowers with a dark purple lip.
Contributed by @clockhousenursery
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Partial shade
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Occasional watering
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Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)
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Rich and free draining
Common name
Bastard Balm 'Royal Velvet Distinction'
Latin name
Melittis 'Royal Velvet Distinction'
type
Herbaceous Perennials
family
Lamiaceae
ph
5.5 - 8.5 Acid - Neutral
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Light
Partial shade
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Frost
Frost Hardy: 23F (-5°C)
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Soil
Rich and free draining
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Water
Occasional watering
Plant & bloom calendar
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Best time to plant
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When the plant will bloom
full grown dimensions
0.50 M
0.50 M
Melittis 'Royal Velvet Distinction'
'Bastard Balm' is native to south west England, the New Forest and south west Wales. An aromatic plant in the mint family, it grows in shady, moist, woodland conditions. It has erect hairy stems with opposite pairs of oval, bluntly toothed and softly hairy leaves. The flowers, which grow in the axils of the leaves, are white with a large pinkish purple blotch on the lower lip. 'Royal Velvet Distinction' bears white flowers with a dark purple lip.
Flowering
From Late Spring TO Late Summer
The long-lasting, fragrant, hooded nettle-like flowers appear from late Spring to late Summer
Propagating by division
From Early Autumn TO Mid Autumn
Once 'Bastard Balm' has become established, clumps can be divided in order propagate. The simplest method is to carefully dig around the clump and gently pull it apart into fist sized pieces and re-plant immediately. The middle of the original clump may need to be be discarded if it has lost vigour and become woody.
Planting
From Early Spring TO Mid Spring
In the wild this is a woodland plant, and if planting in a garden, try to replicate woodland conditions for best success. Plant in dappled shade, in moist, humus-rich, free-draining soil
clockhousenursery