cymbopogon citratus

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At-A-Glance Information

Commonly known as Lemon Grass, this species of perennial grass needs full sun and regular water to perform well. They grow best in zones 12, 13, 16, 17, 23, 24, H1 and H2 (to find your zone, click here: Zone Map). These plants are native to India, and are widely used in Asian cooking. Lemon Grass forms a clump of inch-wide leaves 3-4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. These plants are easily planted from divisions, which is a good thing because they usually cannot survive winter temperatures outdoors.

Caring for cymbopogon citratus


Harvesting and Preparing Lemon Grass
To harvest your Lemon Grass plants, cut off the the thick, bulbous stems just above ground level. Only the bottom third of what is harvested is actually used. Cut off the upper two-thirds of the stems and discard them, as they are too tough to eat. Peel off the outer sheath of what is left, and finely slice or pound to add to salads and soups or to add to cooked dishes.

Propagation

divide

Problems and Pests

Gallery

Camellias are great candidates to be grown as container plants on your patio.
A field of thea sinensis
Camellia hiemalis 'Shishi Gashira'

Videos

A video all about growing camellias successfully
Propagating camellias

Resources

The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 276, Cymbopogon citratus (Lemon Grass)
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