Lemon Grass – Cymbopogon citrates

Plant family: Poaceae

Plant origin: Southern India, Sri Lanka

Fruit description:

Flowers:

Growing conditions: Lemon grass is a warm climate perennial clumping grass with lemon-scented leaves. It grows in 1 metre wide clumps. The leaves are long, sword shaped, and feel coarse. The plant is up to 1.5 metres tall. It makes an excellent border plant or small windbreak for the vegetable garden. Grow it in well-drained soil, enriched with compost. It likes full sunshine. It dies back in Winter and shoots vigorously in Summer. It grows well in a pot.

Uses: Lemon Grass is used in cooking for a strong lemon aroma and flavour. You can use the white stems or the green tips. It is used especially in Indian and Thai cooking, used in curry pastes, sauces, marinades, stews, curries and soup. It goes well with fish, seafood and poultry dishes. Use lemon grass to make soothing, refreshing teas. The essential oil of lemon grass is used in aromatherapy and to make cosmetics and perfumes.

Medicinal uses:

Pollination requirements: Self-Pollinating.

Harvest time Pick the leaves any time you need them. You can dry the stems for later use but they are best used fresh.

Plant relatives

Special features:

Grown by method: Cutting Grown Pot size: 100mm

Plant growing Height and Width for pots or in the ground planting: Grows to 1 metres high by 1 metres wide if Planted in a Pot. Grows 1 metres high by 1 metres wide if Planted in the Ground.

Shipping plant pot or planter bag size: 100mm