Gardening & Lemon Verbena
Native to South America, lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla) is a perennial herb with a strong lemony odor. A bushy tree with attractive pale green leaves, lemon verbena attains heights of 5 to 10 feet in adulthood. Lemon verbena is acceptable for growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 and 10.
At the Landscape
Lemon verbena is a naturally long and leggy plant which stands out when planted behind briefer annuals and perennials that provide support, maintaining the plant upright when camouflaging the long stalks. Alternatively, plant lemon verbena against a wall or fence, or even train it to grow against a trellis or other support. Lemon verbena tolerates pruning well and is easily trimmed to your hedge in late winter or early spring. Gardeners in chilly climates frequently grow lemon verbena in pots and bring the plant indoors for the winter.
Growing Requirements
Lemon verbena prefers full sunlight and moist, rich soil. The plant frequently drops it leaves through its dormant period, which is usually triggered when temperatures drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Lemon verbena also reacts negatively in reaction to a sudden change in temperature or transplantation to a different place or a new container. Although the plant looks dead, it usually rebounds quickly with proper maintenance and glowing light.
General Care
Lemon verbena benefits from regular, once-monthly fertilization while the plant is actively growing throughout summer and spring. Employ a general-purpose dry or liquid plant fertilizer, or a natural fish emulsion, according to specifications on the tag. Watering lemon verbena is tricky since plants are frequently killed by excess moisture, particularly after the plant goes dormant and drops its leaves. Dormant plants need very little water and no fertilizer during fall and winter. Regular fertilization and irrigation are slowly resumed in spring. To promote full, bushy growth, trim the plant sometimes during the growing season.
Moving Inside
At USDA zone 8 and below, lemon verbena ought to be moved indoors before the arrival of cold weather in late autumn. Trim the plant and then eliminate spindly stems before bringing the plant indoors. Instead, wait until the plant goes dormant and drops its leaves, since the plant will probably drop its leaves anyhow when moved indoors. Allowing the plant to drop its leaves outside prevents clean-up indoors and reduces the possibility of bringing insects to the home. Store the plant in a cool room until spring.