Last edited on 27 Oct 2026. View history

Lemongrass

Also known as barbed wire grass (EN) silky heads (EN) citronella grass (EN) fever grass (EN)

How to sow lemongrass: Direct seed or transplant seedlings

Sun requirement for lemongrass: Plant in Full Sun

Lemongrass is a grass-like plant with long thin leaves and stalks with bulbous bases. It is used as a culinary herb in Asian cuisines and as a medicinal herb in India. It has a subtle citrus flavor and can be used fresh or dried and powdered. It is often used in teas, soups, and curries, and to season poultry, fish, beef, and seafood. It's oil has anti-fungal properties and is used as a pesticide and preservative.

11: plantings
1: harvest
0: seed packets

Growstuff is a free, community-run site for people who grow food. Keep track of what you plant and harvest, find seeds to swap, and see what is growing near you. Join to record your own lemongrass.

Lemongrass facts

Lifespan

Perennial living more than two years

First harvest expected

51 weeks after planting

Height × spread

100cm × 140cm

Row Spacing

30cm

Grown for

stem harvested 1 time

How members grow lemongrass

Sunniness

Planted from

Harvested for

Plant lemongrass with

lemon

Photos

Lemongrass crops

Photo by bindapatricia via iNaturalist (Copyright bindapatricia)

Lemongrass plantings

Video

Where lemongrass grow

Only plantings by members who have set their locations are shown.

What people are saying about lemongrass

Nobody has posted about lemongrass yet.

Who's planted lemongrass

broderick Tub garden · Canberra
MelvilleWhanau Wine barrel · Beach Haven,...
shiny Fence garden · Wellington, NZ
At_Home_In_My_Garden AHITG_ Herb Bed · Brisbane, Queensland
thiotimoline Garden · San Francisco, CA

Lemongrass harvests

shiny harvested not specified.
Wellington, NZ

over 6 years ago

View all lemongrass harvests

Find lemongrass seeds

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Ecological requirements

Data from the FAO EcoCrop database for Cymbopogon citratus (D.C.) Stapf

Family / Taxonomy	Liliopsida Commelinidae Cyperales Gramineae
Optimal temperature	24 - 30 °C
Absolute temperature	18 - 34 °C
Killing temperature	growth: 0 °C, rest: 10 °C
Optimal rainfall	1500 - 3000 mm/year
Absolute rainfall	700 - 4200 mm/year
Optimal soil pH	5.0 - 5.8
Absolute soil pH	4.3 - 7.3
Crop cycle	120 - 365 days
Max altitude	1400 m
Life form	grass
Life span	perennial
Habit	erect
Optimal soil depth	medium (50-150 cm)
Optimal soil texture	medium
Optimal soil fertility	moderate
Optimal soil drainage	well (dry spells)
Optimal soil salinity	low (<4 dS/m)
Photoperiod	short day (<12 hours)
Optimal light	very bright

Licensed under CC-BY-4.0 .

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) ECOCROP, the crop ecological requirements database. Version 1. https://data.apps.fao.org/catalog/dataset/ecocrop. Accessed through the CGIAR Climate Action Data Hub, https://cgiar-climate-data-hub.github.io/catalog/ecocrop_1/.

Learn more about lemongrass

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Lemongrass