Plant Guide
Lemony scented leaves make great tea, baked goods, jelly, and more
Lemon Verbena has the most true lemon scent of all the lemony herbs. The leaves are commonly used to make a delicious tea or for flavoring drinks. This leggy, tender perennial is easy to squeeze into gardens without a lot of extra space, or it can be grown larger and made into a hedge. Its a deciduous plant that loses its leaves when the days get shorter but then grows back the following spring.
Verbenaceae Aloysia triphyllaLemon Verbena
Lemon Verbena has the most true lemon scent of all the lemony herbs. The leaves are commonly used to make a delicious tea or to flavor drinks. This leggy, woody, tender perennial (in colder climates) or shrub (in mild climates) is easy to squeeze into gardens without a lot of extra space, or it can be grown larger and made into a hedge. Its a deciduous plant that loses its leaves when the days get shorter but then grows back the following spring.
Basics
- Ease of Growing
- Easy
- Grown as
- Perennial
- Growing Habit
- -
- Hardiness
- Tender
Lemon Verbena is a tender perennial that is usually grown as an annual in colder regions, or grown indoors over the winter. In climates that are in between, a mulch, row covers, or other kinds of protection will help the plants overwinter.
- Crops
- Spring Transplant
- Growing Season
- Short, Long
- Cultivar Type
- -
- Growing Conditions
- Cool, Warm, Hot
Lemon Verbena is a tropical plant and prefers warmer temperatures and plenty of sun. It also doesn't like wind, so be sure to put it in a spot that is protected or provide some support if you must place it in a windy spot. Prefers well-draining rich soil.
- Outdoor Growing Temp
- 60°F - 95°F
- Min Outdoor Soil Temp
- 60°F
Plant outdoors once the soil has reached 60˚ F.
- Start Indoors
- No
- Start Outdoors
- No
- Light
- Sun: min. 6 hours daily (Cold, Cool, Warm, Hot)
In more northern regions, give Lemon Verbena a place with full sun.
- Water
- Moderate
Lemon Verbena prefers moist soil, but will tolerate periods of drought.
- Feeder
- Light
Give Lemon Verbena a good fertilizing in the spring, and during vigorous growing times.
- Suitability
- Tolerates light frost, High heat, Needs lots of space
- Small Gardens?
- No
- Containers?
- Yes
Lemon Verbena is a great container plant. It easily fits in with other plants in a container with its leggy habit.
In areas with colder winters growing in a container is ideal so that the plants can be brought inside. During warmer months plants will do better outside.
- Attracts beneficial insects?
- Yes
- Color
- -
- Fruit Size
- -"
- Plant Height
- 12.0-120.0"
- Plant Diameter
- 12.0-72.0"
- Hardiness Zone
- 8-11
- Disease Resistance
- -
- Taste Profile
Very lemony taste, sweet.
