Thought to have originated in Asia, Australia, Africa, and some tropical islands – this herbal and medicinal plant is beloved by many for its many possible beneficial uses.
From repelling spiders and insects to cleansing the urinary tract, this fragrant edible grass can also be used to make tea, is great as an herbal remedy, and can be a wonderful addition to any kitchen or garden.
- Latinate Title: Cymbopogon
- Family: Poaceae
- Common Pseudonyms: Citronella Grass, Ginger Grass, Fever Grass, Barbed Wire Grass…
- Lifespan: 4 Years
- Height: Up to 6 feet tall (1.8m)
When you simply pierce a leaf you will get a strong citrussy scent. Lemon Grass is a plant found year-round and it can also be utilized to create flavour for rice dishes.
A flowering plant that grows in tropical regions, this common plant has leaves of tall green blades that appear just like they should – hanging outwards and creating a spikey ball of imagined sphere animal form.
If all things are perfect, they will flower, which is a compound and unelaborate flower.
However, you will not see it flower if you live in a colder or more northern environment.
We discuss the plant’s growth, uses, and general maintenance for an ever-growing plant that will replicate itself.
How Many Varieties of Lemon Grass Are There?
This regenerative, perennial plant comes in several different species, of which there are roughly 50.
The most commonly grown species, which is the “Ornamental” West Indian Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus), produces leaves that are slightly colored turquoise, although there are also varieties found in East India (Cymbopogon Flexuosus), Java (Cymbopogon winterianus), and several other places around the globe.
The Citronella variety is the most fragrant, and Citronella oil is the most commonly used repellent.
East Indian Lemon Grass has an interesting aspect of having a slight ginger flavoring and a distinctive look, especially when in full bloom, which produce proud purple seed heads with attractive upright leaves. This variety can be used in hedgerows and edging to add color.
An interesting note is that many gardeners will plant lemon grass near lavendar, which of course grows well together.
How Does Lemon Grass Grow?
Lemon Grass can take nearly one hundred days to fully grow, needing lots of warmth and sun for plenty of growth, plus ample hydration.
However, lots of research points to it growing quite well in shaded areas, and in patchy sunshine.
Of course, this applies only to warmer climates, as this tropical-inclined plant does not flourish well in winter and needs protection from frost.
Many people will grow it medium to large containers outside, so they can bring their plant inside once cooler weather comes.
That said, it is possible to grow this plant outdoors in milder winters, around temperatures slightly higher and consist so they can grow.
It will also need high levels of hydration, and grow in coarse soils that drain well.
Like most plants, you can not flood the Fuss plant with water, but it apparently will not get picky, as to what soil it likes, more so than the climate.
The loam holds more moisture, but adding just some compost or moss into the soil will do.
Fertilizing with nitrogen-rich fertilizer is also a well-established recommendation for during is growth – as you might do with a lawn in a garden.
Irrigation
This magnificent plant will require liberal amounts of watering every other day.
This plant is also a sun-loving plant, which will further benefit from a layer of organic mulch or bark applied towards the top of the soil base.
Like many tropical plants, it has become accustomed to regular rainfall and humid atmosphere; therefore, this helps simulate the most desirable growing conditions for your plant, however does not do well with boggy soil.
Try not to over- or under-water; balance is key. In fact, even the surface of the leaves should be allowed to dry out between watering or rainfall.
Propagation
Like its fellow tropical plant, the Polka Dot Plant, Lemon Grass is really easy to propagate.
The plants grow new stalks – called ‘rhizomes’ – in such abundance (without human help) that it has been suggested to share them with others gardeners so they do not go to waste.
They’re so propagating that new stalks develop by themselves!
New stalks are always developing naturally, making manual propagation an easy feat:
- All you have to do is hold onto the plant and gently pull the newly developing stalks off of it and place them in a few inches of water.
- Change the water every couple of days to keep it fresh and soon you will notice new roots developing, although this can take weeks, up to three weeks.
- Once they are about an inch long, they are ready to be repotted into nutrient-dense, well-draining soil.
If you have soil that seems too compact for adequate drainage, sprinkle some coarse sand, or other potting mix, in order to improve the water flow.
A Plant with Four Lives
Lemon Grass can continue to regenerate over its 4 years, given the proper conditions or with some assistance from human agency.
Although they seem to die back much more quickly in cooler climates or without water, simply covering the roots with a Frost blanket, for the duration of the winter months – when it’s colder– or an organic covering like straw or bark will usually be sufficient to create enough protected conditions for the plants to reestablish as temps start to rise along with water in the soil.
Even if the plant would seem to be in dire trouble, most times, it will reemerge if the roots have remained protected enough.
Your Choice: Some gardeners even dig the plant up and store it until the winter has passed and then replant in the spring.
Natural Reproductive Ability
Once fully rooted, this plant will replicate and diffuses itself through multiple new stalks autonomously.
You will need to divide them every year, in Spring, otherwise they’ll expand like a weed.
If one chose to grow even a single plant in a small pot, the roots will expand and the stalks will replicate until it runs out of room, likely breaking the pot.
Some one my read that about thirty-five inches apart is enough to leave space, while others suggest as much as sixty.
If one were to grow them from seed, each seed, will sprout in a few days in moisture and warmth, and each seed should be spaced at least fourteen inches apart.
Like many other grasses, Lemon Grass will create a thick rootage, and putting them too close together creates a competitive space.
Plants will be unable to both feed and grow, and this is before multiplication and is all due to the competing plants. Space is very important for this large and multiplying plant.
Can Lemon Grass Be Used for Medicinal Use?
Lemon Grass has many medicinal uses.
It is a natural diuretic like Coffee, but contains not caffeine, unlike Coffee or Tea.
In fact, a small study found that drinking Lemon Grass tea is better than other diuretics.
Lemon Grass can reduce water retention, help with urinary tract health, and even has calming effects, which makes this plant’s tea wonderful to drink at bedtime.
Or simply if you need something to ease your nerves during stressful times.
Some of the reported medicinal uses are to relieve the symptoms of:
- Wounds
- Fever
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Rheumatism
- Digestive Issues
- Aches
- Pains
- Swelling
- High blood pressure
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Stress
Commonly utilized in aromatherapy, Lemon Grass contains essential oil, antioxidants, antimicrobials and can lower yeast levels, as well as prevent and kill bacteria.
It even makes its way into hygiene and cleaning products.
This list is certainly not exhaustive and merely looking it up on the Internet will yield tons more information on this plant and just how versatile it can be, especially in the kitchen.
In the Pantry
Lemon Grass is utilized not only for the creation of an energizing citrus-infused tea with a fabulously lemony flavour and aroma, as well as infused water; it is also extensively used as a herb and spice.
In cooking, both the stalk of the plant, and the white core of the plant can be used. The stalk – is found frequently in Asian and Indian cooking, but can be used in many foods, such as broths, soups for flavour, and also drinks, and rice dishes the stalk can be utilized for flavour in food dishes.
The inner white core of the plant can be used, cooked and eaten as you would through any other vegetable.
While it it mostly safe for pets to ingest; it can be hazardous _ particularly in a large quantity, to dogs, which may induce, and an upset stomach to a dog, causing vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
If your dog is at all distressed; immediately reach out to your veterinary practitioner.
Remember This: Use caution with this plant as the blade(s) are quite sharp. In fact, their blade-like leaves are said to repel tigers in parts of India!
How to Harvest Lemon Grass
When it reaches half an inch in thickness, Lemon Grass is just about ready for harvest.
Make a cut that is right at soil level. But, if you’re brave enough, you can simply pull the blade down, twist at the base and break it off with your hand.
You may want to be cautious and even wear gardening gloves to protect your hands from the sharp blades.
Can You Use Lemon Grass as a Pesticide?
Lemongrass has an essential oil called, you guessed it: lemongrass oil.
If spiders are wary, predatory insects like wasps, bees and mosquitoes are also. Therefore, lemongrass is a great insect repellant.
What is also cool about the plant is that, in early growth stages, it attracts scout bees, which may be helpful to beekeepers when trying to collect wild bees and will potentially trap the scout, allowing the rest of the bees to follow.
Aside from that, many insects and most arachnids don’t like to be near it. If you are arachnophobic, then this may be the right house plant for you!
Signs of Distress
There are a few telltale signs to watch for that signal that your ‘Barbed Wire Grass’ is losing its edge.
If the leaves start to become droopy and to look a little sad, if it loses some colour or starts to dry out, then you’ll need to adjust watering accordingly:
- Check the soil by sticking your finger down an inch and if it digs down dry, this is likely the culprit and water will be needed.
- If it is too wet, then reduce the amount that you water on the every other day, every other day frequency. If it is not too wet, then inadequate sun exposure or shifting temperatures could also be contributing.
- If the temperature is too low, and the plant is unprotected, you can almost certainly count it as dead. If the temperature gets down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) or lower, the plant will begin showing signs of decline.
Rusting Blades
Regrettably, not all symptoms of distress are manageable.
Lemon Grass has a prevalent disease known as ‘Rust’.
It has what can only be called lesion spots on the blades that take on random shapes that are almost Rust-coloured – hence the name and the resemblance to the spots on a cheetah.
Calling the sickness ‘Rust’ is unfortunate, as it is actually a fungus, (Puccinia nakanishikii Dietel).
The dying leaves will look like a collection of rusty blades.
Spores are released from the dying leaves, infecting other plants and making [state of distress] especially communicable or contagious.
Similar to the grass itself, it may develop rapidly and wipe out a whole crop.
Fungal organisms in general like similar conditions to the plant but the warmer and more humid it is, the greater the risk.
Reported in 1904 as present, it is now noted in many parts of the world, and unfortunately not much can be done at this stage.
Many tropical plants suffer from severe fungal infectious diseases and everyone assumes the infected plant is done for.
There are a few recommendations for biological controls, but the best way to manage it is to dispose of the plants that are infected and the soil that they were in, as this is a form of sterilising.
Pesky Pests
The Lemongrass plant can ironically be attacked by spider mites.
When in sufficient quantities, these tiny Tetranychidae will weaken the health of, or kill the plant by draining nutrients completely, parasitically.
Some have been known to even over-winter with the plant! So if you put the plant into dormancy, be sure to check for them and inspect again.
If you are faced with an infestation, you could wash thee plant with a jet hose humanely.
You could also put lots of flowering plants around (keeping aphids in mind for other plants) that will produce nectar/honeydew attracting predatory beneficials, like wasps and bees, that will help take care of the population.
You could even purchase predatory insects these days for this purpose.
As a Last Resort: You always have the option of a pesticide product, but these will negate all of your humane efforts, allowing them to be wiped out like any beneficial insect as well. A product of insecticidal soap I have had success with the wiping them out of the area, if you simply want to clean the plant, but again- that is less humane.
Final Words
Lemongrass is a widely used plant, particularly in Asian countries, with multiple uses and varying additional nice characteristics ranging from ornamental to medicinal.
Once you have established the plant, it will take root and spread itself by producing multiple new stalks on its own, which means it is an excellent addition to any garden, especially home gardeners and beginners.
You will just want to ensure that you have the right weather for it grow. But if you do, definitely the plant is worth it!