Lemon Zest!
by Rommy Lopat

ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED: 1995 Spring

TWG Editor: In honor of the Oak Park Conservatory's 1995 Herb & Scented Plant Sale, I present this column on lemon-scented herbs written by Cindy Hammond, a member of the Illinois Herb Association [$30; 1701 Towanda Ave., Bloomington, IL 61701]. Thanks, Cindy!

Lemon Verbena [Aloysia triphylla]

Lemon Verbena is one of my favorite herbs. I use the highly-fragrant leaves of Lemon Verbena in cakes and cookies, as well as in potpourri and dried floral arrangements. They're great to use in summer drinks, hot tea, or on the bottom of a dish of custard. If you read herb magazines, it seems like every recipe calls for lemon verbena!

Lemon Verbena is a native of South America. Given its warm-weather origins, we Midwesterners must over-winter this plant inside (bring it in when it's less than 50 degrees outside). This plant -- a shrub really -- requires a big pot since it can grow more than 5' tall. Give it heat: let it grow against a south-facing wall and don't worry much about its soil -- it can even be poor and dry. You can only start lemon verbena from a cutting taken at any time during the season; you won't have success from seed. I fertilize every two weeks with fish emulsion, and I pinch the ends of the branches constantly. Prune the entire plant back halfway in mid-summer, and cut it back again before you bring it inside. These cuttings are what I dry upside-down in a dark place. [Its leaves are very tough, so they must be chopped very finely for use in cooking, or removed before serving your dish.] Then let the plant go dormant - give it just a little drink now and then (basically it'll look dead all winter). In spring, bring the verbena into the light and it will soon re-sprout.

Lemon Thyme [Thyme x citriodorus]

A member of the mint family, Lemon Thyme will spread out over the years but grows only 6" tall. Its spring flowers are deep pink. Its leaves are larger than the common thyme [T. serphyllum], and are very lemony in scent. Propagate this plant by root cuttings in the spring, and grow it in full sun in well-drained soil. Harvest the leaves just before the plant flowers.

Lemongrass [Cymbopogan citratus]

This is another plant which can grow 8' tall in the tropics, but will make a 3' clump of grass in your garden. Asians use the stems in soup, but it's the lemony leaves which are used in tea. Just before frost, cut it to the ground and dry the leaves. At the same time, dig up a clump of the roots, separate them, let them rest in dim light for a few days, and then grow it like a houseplant all winter. Feed it well -- this is a big plant which likes to eat.

Lemon Balm [Melissa officinalis]

Lemon Balm is also a member of the mint family. It will grow about 2' tall, and it can be started from cuttings or seed. It's easy to grow (which means the seeds will sprout everywhere if you don't keep it deadheaded) and its leaves smell great. It's beloved by bees, so be careful where it's planted. While the leaves are usually used dried, they may also be used fresh as long as you chop them fine first.

Lemon-Scented Geranium [Pelagonium crispum]

Although "Prince Rupert" is the most common lemon-scented geranium, my two favorites are "Lemon Meringue" and "Mable Gray". "French Haze" is a close cousin, but is more difficult to propagate and hence more difficult to find. All of these have a deeply-cut, maple-like leaf which should be harvested when flower buds appear and early in the day. The scent is, of course, heavenly!

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