- Botanical name: Aloysia citrodora
- Common name: Lemon verbena
- Family: Verbenaceae
- Plant Type: Shrub, Deciduous
Purple
White
Green
- Key features:
- Aromatic foliage
- Flowers
- Succeeds on poor soil
- Attractive to wildlife
Lemon verbena, Aloysia citrodora, is a deciduous sub-shrub grown for its aromatic foliage, which has a scent that indistinct to that of sherbet lemons. It also has panicles of delicate pale pink flowers, which appear in late summer. Chop a small handful of fresh leaves then steep and strain to make a refreshing tea that can be enjoyed hot or iced.
It’s not fully hardy, so will require winter protection in the form of a thick mulch to protect the roots. Alternatively, grow Aloysia citrodora in a container that can be moved to a frost-free location over winter.
For best results, grow Aloysia citrodora in full sun and well-drained soil. Aloysia citrodora has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
How to grow Aloysia citrodora
-
Plant size
2.5m height
2.5m spread
-
Aspect
South facing, west facing
-
Position in border
Back
- Sun exposure: Full sun
- Hardiness: Frost hardy
- Soil type: Well drained / light / sandy / chalky / alkaline / acidic
Plant calendar
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plant | ||||||||||||
| Plant |
J
Do not Plant in January |
F
Do not Plant in February |
M
Do Plant in March |
A
Do Plant in April |
M
Do Plant in May |
J
Do not Plant in June |
J
Do not Plant in July |
A
Do not Plant in August |
S
Do not Plant in September |
O
Do not Plant in October |
N
Do not Plant in November |
D
Do not Plant in December |
| Flowers | ||||||||||||
| Flowers |
J
Plant does not flower in January |
F
Plant does not flower in February |
M
Plant does not flower in March |
A
Plant does not flower in April |
M
Plant does not flower in May |
J
Plant does not flower in June |
J
Plant does flower in July |
A
Plant does flower in August |
S
Plant does not flower in September |
O
Plant does not flower in October |
N
Plant does not flower in November |
D
Plant does not flower in December |
| Take cuttings | ||||||||||||
| Take cuttings |
J
Do not Take cuttings in January |
F
Do not Take cuttings in February |
M
Do Take cuttings in March |
A
Do Take cuttings in April |
M
Do Take cuttings in May |
J
Do Take cuttings in June |
J
Do Take cuttings in July |
A
Do Take cuttings in August |
S
Do not Take cuttings in September |
O
Do not Take cuttings in October |
N
Do not Take cuttings in November |
D
Do not Take cuttings in December |
| Prune | ||||||||||||
| Prune |
J
Do not Prune in January |
F
Do not Prune in February |
M
Do Prune in March |
A
Do Prune in April |
M
Do Prune in May |
J
Do not Prune in June |
J
Do not Prune in July |
A
Do not Prune in August |
S
Do not Prune in September |
O
Do not Prune in October |
N
Do not Prune in November |
D
Do not Prune in December |
Aloysia citrodora and wildlife
Aloysia citrodora is known for attracting bees and butterflies/moths. It has nectar/pollen rich flowers.
Attractive to Bees
Does not attract Beneficial insects
Does not attract Birds
Attractive to Butterflies/Moths
Does not attract Other pollinators
Is Aloysia citrodora poisonous?
Aloysia citrodora has no toxic effects reported.
No reported toxicity to Birds
No reported toxicity to Cats
No reported toxicity to Dogs
No reported toxicity to Horses
No reported toxicity to Livestock
No reported toxicity to People
Plants that go well with Aloysia citrodora
