How to grow Lemon Verbena?
- Latin Family: Verbenaceae
- Latin Genus: Aloysia
- Ease of Growing: Easy
- Growing Type: Perennial
Lemon Verbena has the most true lemon scent of all the lemony herbs. The leaves are commonly used to make a delicious tea or to flavor drinks. This leggy, woody, tender perennial (in colder climates) or shrub (in mild climates) is easy to squeeze into gardens without a lot of extra space, or it can be grown larger and made into a hedge. Its a deciduous plant that loses its leaves when the days get shorter but then grows back the following spring.
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Lemon Verbena History
Lemon Verbena is native to South America, and was brought to Europe by Portuguese and Spanish explorers in the 17th century.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 6.0 - 7.0
- PH Ideal (min/max): 6.5 - 6.5
Lemon Verbena prefers a rich, well-drained soil that is moist, but not soggy. Neither acidic soil or clay is very hospitable to Lemon Verbena.
How to care for Lemon Verbena?
Lemon Verbena is a relatively easy plant to care for, depending on your zone. The biggest concern for gardeners is winter, as Lemon Verbena very easily drops its leaves when the days shorten. This will even happen if growing it indoors. When it does happen, do not worry and leave the plant be and water less frequently. If growing in zones 1 -7, you will need to bring your plant indoors for the winter - so container gardening is ideal for you.
Water
Lemon Verbena prefers moist soil, but will tolerate periods of drought.
Fertilizer
Give Lemon Verbena a good fertilizing in the spring, and during vigorous growing times.
Seeds
Seed Viability: 1 - 2 years
Light
Part shade
In southern regions closer to it's native region around the equator, Lemon Verbena performs best with some shade during part of the day.
Conditions:Cold, Cool, Warm, Hot
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
In more northern regions, give Lemon Verbena a place with full sun.
Conditions:Cold, Cool, Warm, Hot
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Storage
You can keep Lemon Verbena in the kitchen on the counter for a couple of days. Eventually it will begin to dry up.
Storage Req:
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 1-5 days
The best way to store Lemon Verbena is by drying it. Dry in a bunch no more than 1" in diameter thick. Hang upside down in a warm, dry place (indoors or outdoors) until the stems are brittle and snap when bent. You want the plants to dry as quickly as possible, as this will decrease molding. Once dry, store in an airtight container in the pantry.
Storage Req: Dry, Drying, Warm
Storage Temp: 60-75°F
Storage Length: 1-360 days
Problems
Not Very Hardy
If your growing Lemon Verbena in zones 1 - 7 you'll need to bring it indoors during the winter. For this reason, it may be best to grow it in a container for easy moving.
Lemon Verbena Types
- Lemon Verbena
Lemon Verbena has the most true lemon scent of all the lemony herbs. The leaves are commonly used to make a delicious tea or to flavor drinks. This leggy, woody, tender perennial (in colder climates) or shrub (in mild climates) is easy to squeeze into gardens without a lot of extra space, or it can be grown larger and made into a hedge. Its a deciduous plant that loses its leaves when the days get shorter but then grows back the following spring.
Pests
- Spider Mites
- Whiteflies
