Herb to Know: Lemongrass

(Page 2 of 2)

February/March 1997
By Betsy Strauch 
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Lemongrass oil is used to adulterate lemon oil and to make an artificial violet perfume, as well as to scent soaps, hair oils, and herbal baths. The leaves of the related C. nardus are also used for flavoring food, but this species is better known as the source of citronella oil, widely used in bygone days to repel insects. Lemongrass oil, too, has been used as an insect repellent.

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Lemongrass is grown in warm climates as an ornamental for its foliage and flowers. In India, a row of lemongrass plants is said to repel tigers, but in areas where tigers are not a problem, a hedge of lemongrass can conceal an unsightly view. A single plant makes a nice vertical statement in a lemon garden, and bundles of the leaves can add height to dried arrangements. Trimmings can be chopped and dried for use in potpourris or teas. If you wish to pulverize the dried leaves for flavoring, do it just before you’re ready to use them, as the flavor fades quickly.

Growing Lemongrass

Lemongrass is hardy only to USDA Zone 10. Give it average or moist soil in full sun. In cooler climates, plant a division outside after the danger of frost is past. Leave plenty of room for expansion: under favorable circumstances, a small division can turn into a clump 21/2 feet wide in five months! Lemongrass is drought resistant but benefits from regular watering. Harvest entire leaves. Where winters are cold, dig up the entire clump in fall, or if it’s too big to overwinter indoors, pot up a division of the crown. In the Deep South, you may try wintering lemongrass outside. Cut back the top and mulch the remaining crown heavily. Veteran herb growers Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay of Round Top, Texas, report that lemongrass has survived temperatures of 10° to 20°F with this treatment.

Sources

Richters, Goodwood, ON, Canada L0C 1A0. Catalog free. Plants and dried herb of C. citratus; seeds of East Indian lemongrass (C. flexuosus).
Shepherd’s Garden Seeds, 30 Irene St., Torrington, CT 06790. Catalog free. Plants of C. citratus.

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