Price range: $10 through $12.10
The Lemon Verbena Plant brings a fascinating piece of perfume history into your garden. In Victorian times, households tucked its fragrant leaves into clothing seams and included them in tussie-mussies: small bouquets of scented flowers and herbs. Moreover, its dried foliage holds its fragrance exceptionally well, making it a favourite for potpourri and scented sachets.
Known botanically as Aloysia citrodora, this South American shrub produces narrow leaves with an unmistakable, sweet lemon scent. Brush past the foliage or gently rub a leaf, and that fragrance becomes part of your everyday garden experience.
Beyond its fragrance, lemon verbena offers plenty of kitchen possibilities. Enjoy the leaves in herbal infusions, fruit salads, syrups and desserts. For example, steep them in warm milk or cream, then strain before making custard, panna cotta or ice cream. Alternatively, finely chop tender leaves for dishes where their texture suits the recipe.
Although their citrus flavour offers wonderful possibilities, the leaves cannot replace lemon juice when a recipe needs acidity. When flavouring a dish, start with a small quantity and adjust to taste.
For even more variety, grow it alongside Pandan Plant for two distinctive approaches to flavouring homemade sweets. Try lemon verbena in a fruit syrup, then explore pandan’s fragrance in rice pudding or cake.
During active growth, harvest leaves to use fresh or dry small batches for later. In addition, save some dried foliage for a fragrant drawer sachet or your own potpourri blend.
To help your Lemon Verbena Plant thrive, give it fertile, well-drained soil in a warm, sunny position sheltered from strong winds. While it establishes, water regularly, and continue watering during dry weather. However, protect young growth from frost.
Allow approximately 2 metres high and 1.5 metres wide. During the warmer months, tiny white to pale mauve flowers add delicate detail. To encourage bushier growth, pinch growing tips in spring. Finally, expect seasonal leaf loss as this deciduous shrub enters winter rest.
Lemon Verbena, Lemon Beebrush, Lemon-Scented Verbena, Sweet-Scented Verbena, Herb Louisa, Hierba Luisa, Cidron, Limonetto, Lemon Plant, Lemon Tree and Verbena Oil Plant.
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