Lemongrass seeds
Lemongrass is a staple in East Asian cuisine and is sought after for its medicinal properties, culinary uses, and most importantly, its oils. Lemongrass is a native species that can be found in tropical countries such as China, India, Thailand, etc. Regarding culinary uses, the Thai culture has a firm grasp on its potential in the kitchen. If you have ever had Tom Yum soup, or our favorite, Tom Kha Gai (chicken, coconut, galangal soup), you may recognize the floral-citrus-grassy notes in your soup.
Lemongrass also has an impressive cache of medicinal benefits and uses, and is also prized for its oils.
Lemongrass is one of the most popular essential oils consumers purchase yearly.
The invigorating scent smells amazing in the shower via bath bombs, shampoo, body wash, or soap.The oils can also be used in candle-making and sugar scrubs. Lemongrass also makes an incredibly refreshing, relaxing, and calming tea.
Lemongrass is tropical grass and is hardy in zones 8 and higher. It can still be grown in zones 7 and lower, but only as an annual, you also have the option to grow it in a container and overwinter it indoors until your next growing season. Lemongrass is a quick grower and will fill anything you put it in ( i.e if you put it in a raised bed, it will sprawl across and fill the entire bed). You will need to contain the lemongrass in a large container, or a divider or partition if you are growing in a raised bed. If you harvest it frequently enough, you can keep its ambitious growth at bay.
Lemongrass will mature after 100 days but can take up to 4 months or a little longer before it's ready to harvest. It can be sun-dried, dehydrated, frozen, etc. You will get more than enough lemongrass after it has grown since it sprawls.
Seed count: 30
Botanic name:
Cymbopogon
Plant spacing:
5 feet apart
Color:
Light green leaves that transition to pale white towards the base near the root.
Sowing depth:
1/4 inch deep
Sun requirements:
Full sun
Utilization:
Lemongrass has a multitude of different uses. This grass excels in Southeast Asian cuisine, made into tea, used in soap making, pressed for its oils, grown as an ornamental, made into medicinal tincutures, or planted in the garden as a natural bug repellent.
Frost hardy:
No
Maturity days:
110-120 days
Life cycle:
Perennial
Can I start indoors:
Yes
Container friendly:
Yes
Other names:
British Indian lemongrass, citronella, cochin lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus, Cymbopogon flexuosus, East Indian lemongrass, fever grass, Guatemala lemongrass, Madagascar lemongrass, Melissa grass, sereh, West Indian lemongrass, barbed wire grass, silky heads, Cochin grass, Malabar grass, oily heads, citronella grass, and fever grass
Vine Habit:
