Growing: Lemon Verbena
By Ellen Brown
|
| Botanical Name: |
| Aloysia triphylla |
| Common names: |
| may also be sold as Lippia citriodora |
| Description: |
| The small lavender-colored flower clusters along the woody stems of Lemon Verbena are not particularly showy, but the herb is worth growing just for its foliage. The plant's leaves are long, green and ordinary in appearance, but they give off a lively citrus scent when crushed. Lemon verbena grows into a bushy shrub that stands 5 feet tall and 5 feet wide. It can grow taller in warmer climates, or be kept smaller if grown in containers. |
| Life Cycle: |
| tender deciduous shrub |
| Exposure: |
| full sun to partial shade |
| Cultivation: |
| Start plants with cuttings taken in the summer. Lemon Verbena prefers to grow in fertile, loamy, well-drained soil with a neutral pH, and should be planted in a protected area. Plants are not frost-hardy and will not survive cold or even mild winters outdoors. Northern zones can grow them in containers and move them to a greenhouse or indoors for winter. Lemon Verbena should be cut back hard in the winter (within 12 inches) to keep its compact shape. |
| Propagation: |
| cuttings or seed |
| Parts Used: |
| leaves |
| Harvesting and Storage: |
| Cut leaves from plant as needed. Dry and save leaves from stems taken during pruning. Leaves contain the highest concentrations of oil in the early evening hours. |
| Medicinal Uses: |
| sedative; digestive aid |
| Culinary Uses |
| teas; salads; butters; meat and poultry stuffing; flavored syrups |
| Other Uses: |
| skin and hair products; sachets |
Feedback About This Post:
RE: Growing: Lemon Verbena
Hello I have had a lemon tree for several years indoor, and it had a few lemons on it when i received it as a gift but is yet to provide any more for several years, it is about 3 feet tall,, what can i do to soil or the tree to promote the plant..thanks
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