Lemongrass

Lemongrass | Cymbopogon citratus | West Indian Lemongrass | Oil Grass

Lemongrass is a fast-growing, sun-loving tropical perennial prized for its spectacular, dense clumps of graceful, arching, pale green foliage and its intensely fragrant, citrus-scented leaves and stalks. This exceptionally tough, heat-tolerant culinary herb is known for its remarkable vigor and its essential role in Southeast Asian cuisine, providing a bright, aromatic lemony flavor to soups, curries, and teas. Its richly scented foliage naturally repels mosquitoes and other pests, making it a spectacular, low-maintenance thriller for sunny landscape borders, edible permaculture gardens, and large mixed patio containers. With its bold, grassy texture and reliable performance through challenging heat and humidity, Lemongrass offers an extraordinary display of lush, graceful greenery and rewarding culinary harvests with exceptionally straightforward care.

Growing Lemongrass

Light: Full sun; thrives in intense, direct sunlight (at least 6 to 8 hours per day) which is absolutely required to produce the most abundant foliage, the thickest edible stalks, and maintain a tight, sturdy upright form. Too much shade will cause the grassy leaves to become leggy and flop.

Soil: Rich, moist, well-drained soil; highly adaptable to average soils as long as drainage is adequate, though it prefers a highly organic, loamy potting mix amended with compost to support its rapid growth.

Water: Moderate to high; water regularly and deeply to keep the soil consistently moist but never soggy. It is a heavy drinker during the hot summer months and strongly dislikes drying out completely, which will quickly cause the blade tips to brown.

Maintenance: Exceptionally low maintenance. Harvest the thick outer stalks regularly by cutting them closely at the base to encourage fresh new growth, and trim back the upper grass blades as needed to maintain a tidy appearance.

Wildlife: The strongly aromatic essential oils naturally deter deer, rabbits, and mosquitoes; generally pest-free.

Hardiness: Perennial in USDA zones 10–11; widely grown as a spectacular, fast-growing summer annual or large container plant in cooler regions, where it can be easily overwintered indoors in a bright, sunny window.

Shipping Info

Lemongrass plants are shipped as healthy young starts in 4" nursery pots. Allow 1–2 weeks after arrival for plants to recover from shipping and resume active growth before repotting or planting outdoors.