Aloysia citrodora (Lemon Verbena)

Prized for use in tisanes, liqueurs, cooking, potpourri, perfumes, and cosmetics, award-winner Aloysia citrodora (Lemon Verbena) is a deciduous sub-shrub with arching branches and narrowly lance-shaped, strongly lemon-scented, green leaves. The pointed leaves are arranged in whorls of three around the stems. From mid-summer to early fall, the bush produces large terminal panicles of tiny, four-petaled, white, or pale lilac flowers. The leaves are best used fresh and young. They are a common ingredient in many herbal teas and can be used to give a lemon flavor to fruit salads, desserts, and drinks. Evergreen in warm winter areas.

• Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
• Easy to grow, Lemon Verbena grows up to 6-8 ft. high (180-240 cm) and nearly as wide.
• Enjoys full sun in fertile, well-drained loam. Mulch in autumn to protect the roots. In heavy frost, areas grow it in a pot and bring it under protection during winter dormancy.
• Perfect for beds and borders, wall-side borders, city gardens, cottage gardens, Mediterranean gardens, herb gardens, or containers.
• Generally pest and disease free.
• In early to mid-spring cut back the previous year’s flowering stems to within one or two buds of the older woody framework.
• Propagate by softwood cuttings.
• Native to Argentina, Chile.