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(Cymbopogon flexuosus ‘Lemongrass')

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Lemongrass is a frost-tender clumping perennial herb that is native to India and southeast Asia but can be commonly found growing in gardens throughout the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 2-3' and features long, aromatic, long lance-shaped, arching green leaves. This plant can be grown in a container, is used to flavor perfume, is used to make insecticides, repels mosquitoes, and is both edible and medicinal! 

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  • General Information
  • Germination
  • Seedlings
  • Harvesting
  • Propagation by Root Division
  • Culinary
  • Medicinal
  • Companion Planting
  • Other Uses
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​Family: Poaceae

Genus: Cymbopogon

Species: flexuosus

Variety: Lemongrass

Also Known As: Cochin grass or Malabar grass.

Native to: Assam, Bangladesh, East Himalaya, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, West Himalaya.

Introduced into: Andaman Is., Bahamas, China South-Central, Egypt, Florida, Jawa, Lesser Sunda Is., Madagascar, Malaya, Mauritius, New Guinea, Seychelles, Sumatera.

Grown as: Tender Perennial/Annual
 
Maturity: 100 days

Outdoor Growing Temp: 40°F - 100°F+. Ideal: 85°F

Start Indoors: Yes

Start Outdoors: Yes

Light: Full Sun. Pick a location where your lemongrass will receive direct sun all day. If this is not possible, plant it where it will get at least 6 hours of direct sun per day. When lemon grass gets too much shade, it may attract pests.

Water: Medium. Lemongrass is not drought-tolerant so keep the roots constantly moist for best plant health. 

Soil Moisture: Medium. Use a 3" layer of mulch to help conserve moisture.

Maintenance: Low

Beneficial Insects?: No. Although lemon grass is helpful in repelling some pests, its doesn't really attract any beneficial insects. 

Containers?: Yes. A Lemongrass plant needs a 5 gallon or larger container so it will have room to grow and so it can be moved indoors during winter. It is a tropical perennial grown as an annual in most parts of the United States. It is not tolerant of frost and any heavy frost will kill it.

Height: 36-60"
 
Spacing: 36-48”

Sow Depth: 1/8"
 
USDA Zone: Annual: 2-9
                  Perennial: 10-12


Produces: long, aromatic, long lance-shaped, arching green leaves.

Garden Uses: Herb gardens, Rain gardens.
To achieve higher germination of your seeds, try making a soil mix containing equal parts of compost, sphagnum peat moss, and coarse sand. Sow your lemon grass seeds in seeds trays 1/8” deep and mist gently. Now place the seed tray in a plastic resealable bag to obtain the humidity required to germinate lemon grass. Since lemongrass doesn't require light to germinate, there is no need to waste any of your grow lights on them. Simply place the seed tray any dark with an air temperature of  70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Don't forget to keep your seed mix moist by misting your seed trays daily. Germination usually occurs in 7-21 days. When you see signs that your seeds have sprouted, simply remove the seed tray from the plastic bag and place the tray in full sunlight. You will have healthy seedlings in 2-4 weeks.
Transplant your lemongrass seedlings outdoors when temperatures are above 60 degrees. If you live in grow zones 7 or lower, you will want to grow your lemongrass in a container because you will have  to over winter it indoors. If you live in zones 8 or 9 you can plant your lemongrass directly in the ground and it will become dormant in the winter. In zones 10 or higher, lemongrass is an evergreen perennial and can be grown in the ground as well. In either case, lemongrass will need a ​rich, loamy soil consisting of 4" of compost and 8" of soil which will provide nutrients and help retain moisture.  You will need to dig a hole that is the same depth as the container your lemongrass is currently in but the width will need to be slightly larger.  Now fill the hole with your soil mix leaving a hole in the center that is slightly deeper the size of the root ball you are transplanting. Be sure to space your lemongrass seedlings 36-48" apart on all sides. Now cover the hole with soil, and tap firmly around the plants base. Finally, be sure to water thoroughly to ensure the root ball depth has been reached. 
Perennial Harvesting:
Lemongrass is harvested for both the stalk and foliage. Begin harvesting your lemongrass when the plant reaches 12" in height or when the stalks are at least 1/4" thick. This can be done by breaking, cutting, or twisting off stalk as close to ground as you can due to the bottom of the stalk being where the most tender part is located. Cut, twist or break off a stalk that is at least 1/4 inch thick. You can begin removing the woody outer portion and the leaves of the stalks once you harvested the amount of lemongrass you need for the day. Now simply slice stalk where it is tender it is ready to be added to your recipes.

Annual Harvesting:
Lemongrass will need to be completely harvested in fall before the first frost in colder regions. Simply remove the foliage of the stalks and then break, twist, or cut them off. Be sure to compost the leaves, roots, and any discolored portions.
Lemongrass is an incredibly fast grower.  It will likely need to be divided by the next season after planting.  When planted in a pot, thinning by division is required each growing season.  For either potted or planted in ground Lemongrass, to divide the plant, trim the blades to two inches tall before division to make the process much easier. Dig up the plant root ball, and trim the roots to about an inch in length. With a very sharp shovel or blade cut through the clump of roots with one swift cut. Ideally, the divisions should to be about 6 inches in size, or bigger.  Plant these divisions a minimum of 3 feet apart to accommodate these vigorous plants. Lemongrass can grow 3-6 feet tall, and 3 feet across.
Lemongrass is used as a culinary herb and is a popular flavoring for food in Asian cuisine. ​It has a subtle citrus flavor and can be used fresh, powdered, or dried. Lemongrass leaves and stems can jazz up your chicken and fish, soups, teas, sauces, and much more! An essential oil obtained from the plant is highly aromatic with a lemon-like aroma and flavor. It is often used by the food industry as a flavoring in foods such as ice creams, baked goods, oils, candies, chewing gum , and more! The dried leaves are often used as an aromatic herb tea.
​Lemongrass essential oil is produced by steam distillation of the freshly cut leaves, or can be extracted using alcohol. It is believed to help with stress-related disorders, and has been shown to have antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Cymbopogon flexuosus completely inhibits all MRSA colony growth.
Source
Project Purity Seeds can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Companion Planting

Companions: Basil, Cilantro, Cucumber, Echinacea, Fennel,  Marigolds, Mint, Onions, Peppers, Thyme, Tomatillo, and Tomato.

Problems

​No serious insect or disease problems. Spider mites can be a serious pest on indoor plants.

Spider mites

​Beneficial insects such as minute pirate bugs, big-eyed bugs, and lace­wing larvae all prey on Spider mites.
​Minute Pirate Bugs: Preys on spider mites, cabbage looper, insect eggs, caterpillars, aphids, and thrips.

To attract Minute Pirate Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).

​
Big-eyed Bugs: Preys on Aphids, small Caterpillars and Caterpillar eggs, Flea beetles, Fleahoppers, Lygus bugs, Mites, Thrips, Whiteflies. 

To attract Big-Eyed Bugs to your garden you will need to grow: Caraway (Carum carvi), Cosmos “white sensation” (Cosmos bipinnatus), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Spearmint (Mentha spicata), Peter Pan Goldenrod (Solidago virgaurea), and Marigold “lemon gem” (Tagetes tenuifolia).

​Lacewings: Green lacewings are common generalist predators that feed on aphids. Brown lacewings are slightly smaller. Some species of adult lacewings are predaceous while the larvae are very active predators that feed on soft-bodied prey such as mites, aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, whiteflies, and pest eggs. Lacewings in nearly all life stages are commercially available.

To attract Lacewings to your garden you will need to grow: Fern-leaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina), Dill (Anethum graveolens), Angelica (Angelica gigas), Golden marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria), Four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), Purple poppy mallow (Callirhoe involucrata), ​Caraway (Carum carvi), Coriander (Coriandrum sativum), 
​Cosmos white sensation (Cosmos bipinnatus), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), Prairie sunflower (Helianthus maximilianii), Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).
Lemongrass is also used in essential oils and perfumes. 

Suggested Varieties

(Angelica atropurpurea ‘American')

American Angelica is a native perennial herb that grows in swampy areas and along rivers and streams throughout the northeastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 3-10' and features dark purple stems, green oval, toothed, compound leaves, and large compound umbels of greenish-white to white flowers. This plant attracts bees, butterflies, lacewings, ladybugs, and parasitic wasps, tolerates deer, and is edible and medicinal!

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(Carum carvi ‘Caraway')

Caraway is a biennial herb that is native to Europe and Asia but can be commonly found growing in meadows, prairies, and along roadsides throughout the northern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-18” and features feathery fronds and umbrella shaped clusters of tiny white flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, damsel bugs, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, and predatory wasps, and is also both edible and medicinal! 

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(Cosmos sulphureus ‘Bright Lights’)

Only a few left!

Bright Lights Cosmos Mix is an annual warm-weather flower native to Mexico but can commonly be found growing in fallow fields and along roadsides and railroads throughout the southern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 1-3' and features narrowly divided, slightly hairy green foliage and 2-3” yellow, orange, or red semi-double flowers with scallop-edged petals and yellow centers. This plant attracts bees, birds, butterflies, ladybugs, pollinating moths, and predatory wasps, tolerates drought, self-sows, and is used as a cut flower! 

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(Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Candy Stripe’)

Only a few left!

Candy Stripe Cosmos is an annual warm-weather flower that is native to Mexico but can commonly be found growing throughout the southern and northeastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 3-6' and features finely divided, feathery-green foliage and white petaled with pink edged flowers with yellow centers. This plant attracts bees, birds, butterflies, ladybugs, pollinating moths, and predatory wasps, tolerates drought, self-sows, and is used as a cut flower!

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(Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Radiance’)

Radiance Cosmos is an annual warm-weather flower native to Mexico but can commonly be found growing along roadsides and railroads throughout the southern and northeastern United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 3-6' and features finely divided, feathery green foliage and 2-3” flowers with yellow centers and scallop-edged petals of medium pink that darken too bright pink or fuchsia at the center. This plant attracts bees, birds, butterflies, ladybugs, pollinating moths, and predatory wasps, tolerates drought, self-sows, and is used as a cut flower!

Shop

(Anethum graveolens ‘Dukat')

Dukat Dill is an annual herb that is native to the Mediterranean and Asia but can be commonly found growing throughout the Midwest, northeastern, and west coast of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 3-5' and features stiff hollow stems, sweet-scented, bluish-green, feathery foliage, and compound 10” umbrella-shaped umbels that are topped by yellow aromatic flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, predatory wasps, and tachinid flies, repels aphids, spider mites, and squash bugs, is rabbit safe, tolerates deer, its leaves are used as an insect repellent, tolerates drought and light frost, is used to flavor soaps, is used to make insecticides, is both edible and medicinal and self-sows! 

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(Foeniculum vulgare ‘Florence')

Only a few left!

Florence Fennel is a perennial herb that is native to the Mediterranean but can be commonly found growing throughout most of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 3-5' and features a rounded, branching, celery-like stalk, yellowish-green, feathery foliage and umbrella shaped heads of tiny yellow flowers. This plant attracts bees, butterflies, damsel bugs, hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, and predatory wasps, tolerates deer, is used to flavor air fresheners, perfumes, soaps, and toothpaste, the leaves are used to repel insects, tolerates drought and light frost, is used to make dyes, is both edible and medicinal, and self sows! 

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(Mentha spicata ‘Spear’)

Spearmint is a perennial herb that is a native from Europe and China but can be commonly found growing in wetlands and along streams throughout most of the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 24-36” and features erect, hairy stems, 3” aromatic, oval-shaped, sharply toothed pointed leaves and 4” tapering terminal spikes that bare pale purple or pink flowers. This plant can be grown in containers, attracts bees, butterflies, and damsel bugs, repels ants, aphids, cabbage loopers, flea beetles, mice, squash bugs, and white flies, is resistant to deer and rabbits, is used to make essential oils and potpourri, its leaves are used to repel rodents, is used to flavor toothpaste, is both edible and medicinal, and self sows!  

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(Callirhoe involucrata ‘Purple’)

Purple Poppy Mallow is a native perennial flower that grows in dry, rocky soils of the central United States. At maturity, this plant reaches a height of 8-12” and features upward-facing cup-shaped, poppy-like five-petaled magenta flowers. This plant can be grown in a container or hanging basket, attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, lacewing, and predatory wasps, is resistant to deer and rabbits, is edible and medicinal, tolerates drought, self-sows, and is used as a cut flower!

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(Achillea millefolium 'Rubra')

Only a few left!

Red Yarrow is a native mat-forming perennial that can be commonly found growing along roadways and in fields and lawns throughout the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 1-2' and features erect stems, medium green fern-like foliage, and clusters of red flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, ladybugs, and predatory wasps, is rabbit safe, repels beetles, and flies, the leaves are burned to repel mosquitoes, is used as a compost activator, tolerates drought, is used to make cosmetic cleansers, dye, essential oil, and liquid plant food, self sows, is both edible and medicinal, and is great as a cut flower!

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(Achillea millefolium 'White')

White Yarrow is a native mat-forming perennial that can be commonly found growing along roadways and in fields and lawns throughout the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 12-18” and features erect stems, medium green fern-like foliage, and clusters of white flowers. This plant can be grown in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, hoverflies, ladybugs, and predatory wasps, is rabbit safe, repels beetles, and flies, the leaves are burned to repel mosquitoes, is used as a compost activator, tolerates drought, is used to make cosmetic cleansers, dye, essential oil, and liquid plant food, self sows, is both edible and medicinal, and is great as a cut flower!

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      • Blazing Star
      • Boneset
      • Burning Bush
      • Calendula
      • Camass
      • Canterbury Bells
      • Cardinal Flower
      • Castor Bean
      • Catchfly
      • Celosia
      • China Asters
      • Chinese Houses
      • Clarkia
      • Clover
      • Coleus
      • Columbine
      • Compass Plant
      • Coneflower
      • Coral Bells
      • Cornflower
      • Cosmos
      • Dahlia
      • Daisy
      • Dame's Rocket
      • Dusty Miller
      • False Goats Beard
      • Four O'Clocks
      • Foxglove
      • Gas Plant
      • Gazania
      • Gilia
      • Hibiscus
      • Hollyhock
      • Ice Plant
      • Iris
      • Irish Moss
      • Joe Pye Weed
      • Lacy Phacelia
      • Lamb's Ear
      • Larkspur
      • Lupine
      • Marigold
      • Milkweed
      • Moonwort
      • Morning Glory
      • Moss Rose
      • Nasturtiums
      • Nemophila
      • Obedient Plant
      • Pansy
      • Penstemon
      • Petunia
      • Pheasant's Eye
      • Pink Nodding Onion
      • Poached Egg Plant
      • Polka Dot Plant
      • Poppy
      • Poppy Mallow
      • Purple Rock Cress
      • Queen of the Prairie
      • Red Hot Poker
      • Rose of Heaven
      • Sedum
      • Snapdragon
      • Spider Plant
      • Spiderwort
      • Strawflower
      • Sunflower
      • Sweet Williams
      • Tobacco
      • Winged Everlasting
      • Zinnia
    • Our Fruits Seeds >
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    • Our Herb Seeds >
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      • Dill
      • Fennel
      • Fenugreek
      • Heal All
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      • Lavender
      • Lemongrass
      • Lovage
      • Marjoram
      • Mint
      • Monkshood
      • Motherwort
      • Oregano
      • Peppercorn
      • Rosemary
      • Sage
      • Savory
      • Skullcap
      • Sorrel
      • St. John's Wort
      • Tarragon
      • Thyme
      • Toothache Plant
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      • Yarrow
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      • Cauliflower
      • Celery
      • Collards
      • Corn
      • Corn Salad
      • Cucumbers
      • Eggplant
      • Gourd
      • Ground Cherry
      • Kale
      • Kohlrabi
      • Leeks
      • Lettuce
      • Melons
      • Mustard
      • Okra
      • Onions
      • Parsley
      • Peas
      • Peppers
      • Pumpkin
      • Radish
      • Rhubarb
      • Salsify
      • Spinach
      • Squash
      • Swiss Chard
      • Tomatillo
      • Tomato
      • Turnips
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  • Get More, Here's How
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