by Becky Lane

Created on: February 18, 2009

HOW TO CARE FOR LEMON VERBENA

Lemon Verbena is a delightful woody perennial with graceful arching branches, lance-like leaves, and a sweet, clean lemon fragrance. It produces spikes of tiny white or lavender blossoms late summer to fall. The leaves can be used either fresh or dried, for culinary purposes both sweet and savory, in potpourri, or to make herbal honeys, teas, cleaning products or even cosmetics. Dried leaves will retain their scent for a number of years.

This plant prefers to be in full sun, in climates where winter temperatures do not fall below 10 degrees F. (-5 degrees C.), and wants warm, dry summers with cool nights. In a mild area, such as zone nine or ten, it might form an evergreen shrub reaching from five to ten feet in height and width. Where winters are a bit cooler, it will lose its leaves in the fall and become dormant in winter. In much colder climates it can be grown quite easily in a container, and overwintered indoors. The roots need plenty of room, so choose your container accordingly, and re-pot to something larger each time the plant doubles in size. If grown in a container, you will want to trim away long branches in fall, before bringing the container indoors, preferably to a greenhouse kept at 45-55 degrees F. Another option is to cut the plant back and store it in a cool garage or basement, watering infrequently.

Lemon Verbena is a heavy feeder, so fertilize lightly with fish emulsion on a regular basis. It prefers a rich, moist, slightly acidic soil. To propagate, take cuttings in late spring or early summer, and pinch tips to encourage bushy growth. The only pest you will likely encounter is spider mites. If caught early, you can just wash them from the foliage by directing a spray of water towards the undersides of the leaves, or you can wipe infected areas with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol. If that does not work, try spraying with citrus oil, pyrethrin, or rotenone.

Sprigs of leaves can be snipped for use year-round, or you can cut foliage back halfway in midsummer, and again in fall. It can even be trained as a standard, making a lovely patio tree or focal point. Dry the foliage in a shady spot, then store it in an airtight container, and you are good to go. Now snip a few branches, tie them to the faucet of your bathtub, letting the warm water spill through them as it fills. Climb in, lean back and enjoy!

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