About Cedronella canariensis (L.) Webb & Berthel.
Cedronella is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Mentheae of the family Lamiaceae that contains only one species: Cedronella canariensis. This species is native to the Canary Islands, the Azores, and Madeira, and has become naturalized in South Africa, St. Helena, New Zealand, and California. Its common names are Canary Islands-balm, Canary balm, and Balm-of-Gilead. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that reaches 1–1.5 meters in height. A distinctive characteristic of this plant, unusual for the Lamiaceae family which typically bears simple leaves, is its compound leaves made up of 3 leaflets. Leafy stems end in dense, short spikes of flowers; these blooms are tubular, 2-lipped, and either white or pink. The genus name is a diminutive form of the genus name Cedrus; the only connection between this herb and the large conifers of Cedrus is the vaguely similar resinous scent of the foliage. For cultivation, these perennials can be grown outdoors in mild climates, where they require a sunny spot in an herb garden and moist, well-drained soil. In cool climates, they can be grown in a sunny conservatory. They should be watered freely during the growing season, and can be propagated from either seed or cuttings.
