Lemon Verbena

Description

Aloysia citrodora – lemon verbena

Botanical name: Aloysia citrodora (syn. Aloysia triphylla)
Common names: Lemon verbena
Family: Verbenaceae
Plant type: Deciduous shrub (half-hardy)
Habit: Upright, bushy shrub
Pot size: 9cm pot
Eventual size: Approx. 1–1.5m tall × 1m spread (smaller if kept in a pot and pruned)
Foliage: Narrow, pointed, bright green leaves with an intense, sweet lemon scent; deciduous
Flowers: Sprays of tiny pale lilac-white flowers in late summer (August–September)
Scent: Intensely lemon-scented foliage
Aspect / light: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained; poor to average; dislikes wet; any pH
Hardiness: RHS H3 (half-hardy; roughly −5 to 1°C); needs a warm, sheltered spot or winter protection; USDA zones 8–10
Exposure: Warm, sheltered, sunny
Native range: Native to South America
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Generally considered non-toxic to people and pets

Aloysia citrodora, lemon verbena, is a deciduous shrub with narrow bright green leaves that release an intense, sweet lemon scent — arguably the finest lemon fragrance of any plant. Best in a warm, sheltered spot or a pot.

GardenAdvice notes

Prized for having perhaps the most intense and delicious lemon scent of any plant, lemon verbena is a deciduous shrub from South America, grown for its wonderfully fragrant narrow leaves and dainty late-summer flowers. It is on the tender side, so in most of the country it is best given a warm, sheltered, sunny spot against a wall, or grown in a container that can be kept frost-free over winter.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring in well-drained soil in full sun, in the warmest, most sheltered spot you have — ideally against a sunny wall — or grow it in a pot. It dislikes cold, wet conditions. In cold gardens, container growing is safest, moving the pot into a frost-free greenhouse, porch or conservatory over winter.

Care & maintenance

Water in dry spells while in growth. In spring, once the risk of hard frost has passed and new buds appear, prune back the previous year’s growth to keep it bushy and shapely — it can look dead until quite late in spring, so be patient before assuming it has died. Protect the roots and crown over winter with a deep mulch, or move pots under cover.

Propagation

• Cuttings: Take softwood or semi-ripe cuttings in summer.

Pests & diseases

Generally trouble-free in a warm, well-drained spot. Its main vulnerability is cold, wet winters, which can kill it, so shelter and winter protection are key. Aphids and red spider mite may occur under glass.

Uses in the garden

Superb in a warm, sunny, sheltered border or against a sunny wall, and especially good in a container on a sunny patio near seating, where its extraordinary lemon scent can be brushed and enjoyed; ideal for a sensory garden.

Wildlife value

The late-summer flowers attract bees and other pollinating insects, particularly valuable so late in the season.

Toxicity & safety

This herb is generally regarded as non-toxic to people and pets.

GardenAdvice tip

Lemon verbena has arguably the most gorgeous lemon scent of any plant, so grow it in a pot by a seat or doorway where you’ll brush past it constantly. It’s tender, though, so give it the warmest, sunniest spot and move it under cover for winter — and don’t give up on it in spring, as it’s often one of the very last plants to leaf out, looking dead long after everything else has woken up.

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