Sononym: Elsholtzia cristata.
English: Vietnamese balm; Crested Late Summer Mint; Vietnamese Lemon Balm; Vietnamese Lemon Mint.
Vietnamese: Xiang ru; Kinh giới; Kinh Gioi.
Region: southeast Asia, Vietnam; introduced in India, eastern Asia, Europe; classified as a noxious weed in 46 USA states.
Habitat: temperate zone, tropics; moist soil; on exposed rocky slopes; open, gravelly areas; elevations of 1500 to 3400 m.
Content: essential oil.
Use: leaves to lemony flavor meat dishes, soups, salads; seeds, powdered for flavoring food; ornamental; medicinal; Traditional Chinese
Medicine.
BotanyHerb, erect; 60 cm in height.
Leaves: long, stalked, serrated; 2 to 8.5 cm long, 8 to 2.5 cm wide; ovate to lanceolate; with a gland-dotted underside.
Inflorescence: flat spikes.
Flowers: purple; bloom in September and October.
Literaturehttp://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Elsholtzia+ciliata
http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/e/elsholtzia-ciliata.php