Lemon Verbena

Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla) is a lovely semi-tender perennial herb and will grow well in a pot on the patio or windowsill or in the ground in a sheltered garden. The leaves can be used fresh or dried for teas and in baking and in the right position they will grow on from year to year into a sizeable bush.

Find a nice warm frost-free spot for your lemon verbena and keep the soil moist but not too wet. The warmer and sunnier the position, the quicker your plant will grow on and the stronger the flavour will be.

In the summer your plant will love the garden and put on plenty of lush growth for harvest. In the winter months your lemon verbena will do best above 4C and so is best moved into the house or into a greenhouse where you can keep the rootball from freezing.

In the spring it would be worth repotting your plant into a bigger pot. Choose a free draining compost and if you can add some broken crocks or extra drainage to the bottom of the pot.

Cold weather and overwatering can result in limp leaves and leaf drop. In the winter particularly be cautious not to over water but if this does happen give your plant a trim and let it dry out and it should bounce back to life in the spring.

Pick and use the leaves fresh at any time of year or if you prefer trim the plant back at regular intervals and dry the leaves in a warm room for storage.