Aloysia citrodora - Lemon Verbena

Discover Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora, formerly Lippia citriodira), an exquisite aromatic plant that awakens the senses with its pure and intense lemon fragrance! Its elegant leaves and delicate blooms make it a valuable asset for both culinary uses and garden aesthetics. Easy to grow in pots or in the ground during summer, it transforms any space into a haven of Mediterranean freshness, also helping to deter mosquitoes.

Characteristics

• Foliage: Lance-shaped, bright green leaves, slightly rough to the touch, arranged in whorls of three or four along the stems. They release an exceptionally pure and intense lemon fragrance when bruised. The foliage is deciduous (falls in autumn).
• Flowering: Produces small, delicate, pale lavender or white flowers, clustered in slender spikes at the tips of the stems. Flowering is subtle but charming.
• Light Requirements: Needs full sun (6+ hours per day) for optimal development, vigorous growth, and intense fragrance. Insufficient light can weaken the plant and its aroma.
• Habit: Upright and branching shrub or subshrub, which can become slightly leggy if not pruned.
• Growth: Its growth is moderate to fast. In a single growing season, it can reach 60 to 120 cm (2 to 4 feet) in height and spread when grown in containers or as an annual.
• Humidity: Prefers consistently moist but well-drained soil. Tolerates brief drought once established.
• Soil: Adapts to average to rich, very well-drained soil. Good drainage is essential to prevent root rot.
• Temperature: Tropical to semi-hardy plant, very sensitive to frost. Ideal temperatures are between 18 °C and 30 °C (65 °F and 85 °F).
• Watering: Water regularly to maintain uniformly moist soil, especially during hot and dry periods. Ensure excess water drains well.
• Resistances: Generally few problems with diseases and pests. Its intense fragrance can also help repel certain nuisance insects. Can sometimes be affected by spider mites if the air is too dry.

Usage

• Types of Use: A must-have in cooking (teas, infusions, desserts, fruit salads, vinegars, and savoury dishes). Ideal in herb gardens, in pots or containers on patios and balconies, or as a specimen plant near seating areas to enjoy its fragrance and its mosquito-repelling effect. Attracts pollinators.
• Decorative Benefits: Its bright green foliage and delicate small flowers provide a fine texture and subtle elegance. The intense lemon scent emanating from its leaves is its main ornamental asset, creating a fresh and calming atmosphere.

Maintenance

• Fertilization: Fertilize monthly from spring to summer with a balanced or nitrogen-rich fertilizer to promote foliage growth.
• Pruning: Prune stems regularly to encourage denser, bushier growth and to harvest leaves.
• Plantation:
  • In pots: Choose a pot with good drainage holes. Plant at the same depth as the plant was in its original container. Repot if the plant becomes root-bound.
  • Period: Plant or move outdoors after all risk of frost in spring, when nighttime temperatures are consistently above 10 °C (50 °F).