Can You Grow Lemon Verbena in Zone 9?

Identification

• Lemon verbena is an evergreen perennial growing to 15 feet under ideal conditions. In most gardens, lemon verbena reaches a height of 3 to 4 feet and width of 18 inches. It loses its leaves when exposed to frost and often freezes to the ground if temperatures reach the single digits. The leaves are narrow, pointed and bright green and arranged along the stem in sets of three. Lemon verbena is a naturally rangy plant, especially after parts of the plant have died during the winter. The small white or pink flowers appear in summer.

Cultivation

• Lemon verbena grows best in well-drained, moderately moist soil. A full sun location that receives at least six hours of sun the first part of the day is ideal. Fertilize with a balanced garden fertilizer with a ratio of 10-10-10 or 13-13-13 as directed on the fertilizer container label. Too much fertilizer will kill the lemon verbena plant. When the plant is young, or early in the season when new growth begins, trim back the plant by no more than one-third to encourage branching. Trim out last season's dead growth in spring. Make each cut 1/4 inch above a whorl, or set, of leaves.

  A 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch keeps the soil moisture level even and eliminates weeds. Thoroughly water when the top 2 to 3 inches of soil is dry. Over watering is fatal to the lemon verbena. Withhold water when the plant is dormant.

  In colder locations, north of USDA plant hardiness zone 8, lemon verbena can be grown as an annual or container plant brought indoors in winter.

Uses

• The fragrant leaves of the lemon verbena plant are used to flavor liqueur, teas and other beverages. Lemon verbena leaves are used in a number of dessert dishes and can even be covered in sugar and eaten; the leaves taste bitter when eaten alone. The flowers are used the same way as the leaves. The leaves, branches and flowers can be used in potpourri. The leaves, flowers and stems can be air-dried for later use.

Harvest

• Harvest the leaves at any time, but do not remove more than one-third of the plant at one time. Snip the leaves from the stem with a sharp, clean pair of scissors. Use the older leaves growing at the bottom of the plant first.