- Height 24-48 Inches
- Width 8-12 Inches
- Use as a thriller when using in containers
- Grown as an edible herb or as an ornamental plant!
How would you like to have your annual garden and eat it too? Cymbopogon, better known as Lemon Grass, is an annual or perennial for US gardens, depending on what planting zone you live in and is a dual purpose edible herb and accent plant all rolled into one. Sound good? Read on about this lemon scented and flavored herb. This plant even grows around Black Walnut Trees.
Native to India and tropical regions of Asia, lemon grass grows as a perennial in Zones 8b through 11b. In Zones 8a it may die back to the ground and come back the following year, but in Zones 3-7 you can expect it to behave like an annual, going dormant and eventually dying back.
As a foliage interest plant with culinary and visual interest, lemon grass is the perfect addition to every garden. Because of its upright growth habit, it looks nice in a mixed container as one of the thrillers. Many people who grow a kitchen garden grow lemon grass in it. Lemon grass can also be used in border plantings, the landscape, as a specimen plant in a flower bed, or as a mass planting around a black walnut tree or other object. Traditional uses for this culinary herb and possible medicinal plant include teas and essential oils along with inclusion in Asian cookery.
Lemongrass Care
Lemongrass loves long hot humid summers. Plant it out after the danger of the last frost has passed and it will mature in about a 100 days. It prefers a loose well-drained soil rich in compost, with a pH of 6.0 to 7.8, slightly acidic to fully neutral, and does not tolerate heavy clay soils without amendment. Amend these soils with aged manure, sand and peat moss to make this annual happy in your landscape. Feed with a heavy nitrogen fertilizer once a month if planted in ground and once a week if in a container.
Deadheading is not necessary as this is a foliar, but you will be tempted to cut yourself off a stem of grass to use in your spicy Thai dishes. Cut cleanly with a sterilized knife at the base of the plant being careful not to disturb the root. You will want to do this when the bulbar part of the base has thickened and before the plant has mineralized the stalks, changing the texture (toughens and dries out) and the taste (no more lemony tang). Lemon grass will grow inside, so you can have it to use in the winter, as it will not survive in zones colder than 9a.
Lemongrass Spacing
Lemon grass is not a small plant. It can grow to be four feet high. Fortunately, it only spreads out a foot. Be sure to allow for how big lemon grass is when planting in a mass planting, and space the plants 12-14 inches. Otherwise, they will compete with each other for food and water. Massed plantings, container planting or use as a specimen plant are just some of the applications for this annual.
Lemongrass Information
| USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11 |
| Flower Color(s): Grown for Foliage |
| Foliage Color(s) Green |
| Light Exposure: Partial Sun to Full Sun |
| Height Class: Tall |
| Height: 24-48 Inches |
| Spread: 8-12 Inches |
| Spacing: 12-14 Inches |
| Habit: Upright |
| Watering: Average |
| Drought Tolerant: No |
| Container Role: Thriller |
| Use Types: Border Plant, Container, Landscape, Mass Planting, Specimen or Focal Point |
| Features: Fragrant, Foliage Interest, Deadheading Not Necessary |
| Maintenance: Easy |
| Scientific Name: Cymbopogon citratus |
| Common Name: Lemongrass |
| Other Name(s): West Indian Lemongrass, Lemon Grass |
| Plant Type: Annual |
| Brand: Proven Selections |
Container Sizes
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on; type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
4.5" Pot
Also Know As:
4.5" Container
Plant Age:
~ 6 months
Plant Size:
~ 3"-6"
Pot Size:
~ 4.5"H x 3.75"W
Volume:
1.42 quarts
Quart Pot
Also Know As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 1 year old
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
2.5 Quart
Also Know As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 year old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
#1 Pot
Also Know As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 year old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
#2 Pot
Also Know As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2-3 year old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
#3 Pot
Also Know As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 3-4 year old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
For more detailed information, please click here.
Plant Addict Guarantee (Included On All Plant Orders)
Plant Addicts Warranty - 1 Year (Extra Purchase Required)
Guide: How to Care for Your New Plant(s)
Planter Shipping
Standard Colors: 2-3 business days
Special Order Colors: 8 weeks - this is due to the planter being custom made with the color(s) of your choice
Please Note: On special orders there can not be any cancellations
Plant Shipping
Time of Order:
Summer Shipping
- If there is extreme heat we’ll delay shipping.
- We’ll have to review what areas the plants are traveling through along with your location
Once your plant is shipped you’ll receive an email with tracking information. Depending on the above criteria we’ll ship your plant(s) towards beginning of the following week from your order. We put together this helpful guide of what to do when you receive your plants in the mail.
It is important to know that all of our plants are clearly labeled for which growing zones the plant can survive in. The plants are thoroughly trialed and tested in every growing zone before we state the plant can grow in a zone. Again, our #1 priority is to ship the plants to you healthy and ready to thrive in your location. So we will do everything in our power to do so.
