Drainage is a key to success with this herb, which will die if roots stay constantly wet. In fact, it is best for you to err on the dry side rather than to allow your lemon verbena to be overly soggy. Full sun to partial afternoon shade. Miscellaneous Soil. The 8 centimetres (3.1 in)-long, glossy, pointed leaves are slightly rough to the touch and emit a strong lemon scent when bruised (hence the Latin specific epithet citrodora —lemon-scented). Frost tolerant. Growing Safer Medicine and Better Health in New Zealand, Herbal Medicine for Sun-Induced Skin Damage. Prune. The lemon verbena herb is a sensitive one, preferring warmth to cold and having a high water requirement. Lemon verbena plants will be the most flavorful and aromatic when allowed 6 to 8 hours of sun each day. The easiest way to grow lemon verbena is to start with a small plant. The dried leaves keep their fragrance for years and provide a sharp, long-lasting fragrance in pot pourri, herb pillows and herb sachets. Lemon verbena in my opinion is the most lemony of lemoness that you can get in the herb world that isn’t a lemon. Feeding. Lemon verbena prefers full sun and free-draining soil that has been amended with compost. Position. In snowy, frosty areas, lemon verbena can be grown easily in pots. Lemon verbena is a tender perennial; its roots should not be allowed to freeze. Lemon Verbena Just brushing past a lemon verbena makes you smile. A refreshing lemon verbena tea is very similar to mint and lemon balm in action, relieving indigestion and excess wind. Start with a pot or other container that is about one and a half times as … menu. You should also remove any dead growth near the ground, like brown stems that … Let it spend the summer soaking up sunlight on the patio and then move the pot indoors for the winter. Even if you don’t use it as a herb, it is worth planting as a fragrant plant to brush against, as Victorian gardeners discovered. Lemon Verbena Growing Guide Crop Rotation Group. Spend over $50 & receive free shipping* Find a stockist. Usually grown from softwood cuttings, taken just as buds shoot in Spring. Grows … ■ Older leaves are darker green, so if you’re adding them to a dish, remove the tough, central vein and chop very finely, or use whole leaves and remove before serving. Lemon verbena is a perennial shrub or subshrub growing to 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 ft) high. If you’re in a cold climate, lemon verbena is best planted in full sun; in hotter climates, locate it in light shade. Frost tolerant. ■ Harvest anytime, but oils are strongest just as the plant comes into flower. Last year I established a plant outside, close to a north-facing wall in my paved herb garden. It is an attractive plant and it looks good combined with a range of other herbs and food plants. Its best known use today is as a tea. Vigorous growth ensues after pruning but it is important to avoid over-fertilising, especially for those of us in cold climates as lank, lush growth makes the whole plant more susceptible to frost (she says, speaking from personal experience!). Login . Temperatures below -6°C will kill lemon verbena so its site needs careful thought. It is also said to be good for lethargy and depression, stimulating and reviving the spirits, and can be drunk several times a day. The strong lemon flavour complements chicken, fish and all kinds of fruit in jams, preserves, cooked fruit and fruit salads. Standard-size grapefruit and orange trees can grow 18 to 22 feet tall, whereas dwarf varieties only grow 8 to 12 feet tall.. A few nights ago he presented some new dishes to our guinea-pig guests: a Lemon Verbena Upside Down Cake, a baked fish dish using orange juice with lemon verbena leaves, and a lemon verbena strawberry and apple flambé. Feeding: Feed lemon verbena in spring when growth starts. To prune your verbena, wait until early spring when there are new green shoots along the base of the plant. Lemon verbena is a perennial herb with slender, light green leaves and small white flowers. Rich well-drained soil. It can grow to waist height in open ground and is often planted in containers - which helps to check its growth. How to start a backyard herbal enterprise, Contact Us / Newsletter / Advertise With Us / Subscribe, Recipe: Chilli lime prawn burrito with coriander slaw, 9 common mistakes to avoid when raising chicks. I grow it in a pot to keep at a manageable size and regularly prune the branches to then hang in a warm position to dry. Growing Conditions. Lemon verbena, aloysia triphylla (formally Lippia citriodora), is a native of Chile and Peru, where it grows ten to fifteen foot tall. Outdoors, lemon verbena can grow quite large, but growing verbena indoors in containers is very much doable. Plant lemon verbena in loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Miscellaneous Soil. Verbena Mixed from Awapuni Nurseries , Verbena flowers in spring through autumn. The perfumed oil of lemon verbena contains citral and geraniol which produce citrus and rose fragrances. For years I grew lemon verbena in containers, protecting it over winter and re-potting it each year. Most citrus varieties are self-fertile, so only one tree is needed for fruit production. ■ Hang branches in a dark, warm, airy place until leaves are crisp. Growing in Containers . Temperatures below –6degrees Celsius will kill Lemon verbena. Choose a larger pot because it insulates the roots against soil temperature changes. The scent and flavour of lemon verbena is more pronounced than lemons themselves, but without the sourness. She’s late indeed, but worth the wait. Grow 8 to growing lemon verbena nz feet tall, whereas dwarf varieties only grow 8 12! Brushing past a lemon verbena will drop its leaves when the rest of the beauty it will die back winter! 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