Lemongrass

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon Citratus) also called Citronella grass, is a native to South Asia, particularly Malaysia, it is growing around the world in tropical climates, Zone 9 or above, (it will not tolerate a frost).  It is aromatic lemon scented herb, that contains citral or lemonal. A perennial tufted grass (in which the base grows in a clump) growing up to 5 feet in the tropics and about 3 feet in moderate regions.  The leaves of this grass are course (rough to touch/razor like) very light green, spires of stems are a brownish color which grow from a lavender fibrous bulb. In the fall the spires of the plant turn a beautiful shade of red.  The bulb and stem bottom are used in cooking.   The stems may be used fresh or dried and finely ground. The leaves are dried and used for teas.  Along with citral the essential oil of lemongrass contains myrcene, citronellol, methyl heptanone, di pentene, geraniol, limonene, geranyl acetate, nerol, etc. Essential oil has many uses; aromatherapy (awaking/focus), cosmetics, medicinal, natural bug repellent, anti-inflammatory as well as being anti-bacterial.  Oleoresin (extraction of oil and resin) is used for flavoring food (beverages, dairy desserts, baked goods, puddings, meat). 

Lemongrass has a unique taste and milder fragrance as to not be over powerful in culinary preparations.  I just absolutely love cooking Thai recipes which use lemongrass (it is also in many Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian cooking) I make marinades, sauces, and soups, crab cakes and chicken satay, using my home grown lemongrass, which is great because I always have it on hand. 

Growing Lemongrass

I started my lemongrass plants from seed, or you can buy a bulb from the market and root it in potting soil (if it has some roots).  Because of my location in the Northeast I planted my lemongrass in a container so I can bring indoors every fall.  Use a large container at least 12 inches across and at least 8 inches deep, the roots are thick and will spread, you may have to replant your lemongrass every two years. Propagate by root division divide clumps plant in covered by 1 inch of soil. Spring is a good time to divide a root bound plant, remove the entire plant, divide in sections with a trowel or knife and re-pot. Place the pot in full sun or partial shade, too much sun may scorch the leaves. Keep well watered (about an inch of water a week), but do not let the roots sit in water, and water base of the plant and not the leaves to avoid fungal disease.  Fertilizer can be added during the growing/warm season, lemongrass is a heavy nitrogen feeder. I top my container with home made compost each spring.

In the fall before cold weather and frost hits (remember it is a tropical plant), prepare your plant to bring indoors. I cut off any dead leaves and remove any debris from the container, I spray the entire plant with homemade insect spray, and clean the pot and saucer with soap, place in to a south facing window, now do not water too much as its growth will be slow.  It can also be cut down and stored in a basement watering very little just to keep roots alive. The plant can be put outdoors when above 40F, but I usually wait until May in New Jersey when the low temperature is usually 50F.

If you want to use lemongrass in your landscape it will not like clay soil, it needs rich well drained soil otherwise the sitting water will kill it.  It grows well on hill slopes and is often used for erosion control in appropriate zones.

Companion plants to lemongrass include cilantro, basil, echinacea, rosemary, sage, dill, thyme, mint, cabbage and Kale.

Lemongrass contains natural insecticides and repellents geraniol, and citronella (found in insect repellent candles), so most pests do not bother it.  Aphids can feed on the underside of the leaves and their “honeydew” attracts ants (good organic practices attract lady bugs and wasps that feed on them).  Spider mites may attack plants sucking the plant juices and causing white dots in the foliage.  Whitefly may also attack the plant (usually while overwintering, vacuuming them each day really reduces the population).  All of these pests can be addressed with homemade insect spray.

Harvest your larger stems for bulbs, you can cut them at dirt level and leave in the piece of bulb with its roots, I prefer to pull out the entire stalk cut and replant the cut end with the roots, as well as any smaller shoots that are attached.  Replanting spreads them out in the container, you can add more dirt if needed.

Using your Lemongrass

Wash off the bottom of the stalks to remove any dirt. Cut off the grassy tops, these can be used for tea/soup/brew, hang them and let them dry store in jars for later use, lay them out as insect repellent on the patio, burn them in the fireplace/pit or compost them. Now you can remove the outer layer very fibrous to expose the inner white/lavender layer which is tender.  If you need your stalks and they are not that big you can still use them by finely chopping, mashing them in a pestle, or boiling them in a liquid to get the flavor concentrated.

Herbal Tea (1 Tbsp of leaves or bulbs boiled in water for 10 min strain and use as a digestant (warm) or to reduce fever (cold), or add 1 tsp of chopped lemon grass to any tea.

Chicken Satay – this recipe is my family’s absolute favorite and the marinated chicken is great by itself without the peanut sauce!  Here is a link: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chicken-satay-with-peanut-sauce

Lemongrass crab cakes – the subtleness of the lemongrass in these crab cakes is absolutely divine! Here is my favorite recipe: Crab Cakes with Lemongrass and Basil

Thai Coconut Soup (Tom Ka Gai) – this soup is so flavorful with lemongrass and lime adding to the coconut to make it smooth with a punch of heat from hot red pepper.  Here is a link:  https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20539/adriennes-tom-ka-gai

I usually use my lemongrass as needed but if you have extra store in the refrigerator in a sealed bag (or it may flavor the rest of your refrigerated foods) and use within a 2 weeks, you can also pre chop it and freeze in some water in ice cube trays and empty the ice cubes into a freezer bag for 3 months.

Homegrown lemongrass is the best, I have used supermarket produce department lemongrass, pastes, and leaves preserved in jars, but the fresh homegrown lemongrass is the most amazing.

Nutritional Benefits

Lemongrass contains 99 calories in 100 g (about 3.5 oz).  It is rich in folate (vital for cell division and DNA synthesis), B vitamins, as well as rich source of minerals.  It contains small amount of antioxidants Vitamin C and A.  Potassium (15%) helps control heart rate and blood pressure, and manganese (228%) is used by the body to help make antioxidant superoxide dismutase.

Lemongrass Nutrition Value

Other Uses and Varieties

The variety I described above Cymbopogon Citratus but there are other varieties that are for other purposes. Here is a brief list:

Cymbopogon martinii – This is used for it’s oil.

Cymbopogon flexuosux – This is used for essential oils.

Cymbopogon nardus – This is used for it’s essential Citronella oil and cannot be eaten.

Cymbopogon schoenanthus – This is used for fragrance and teas.

Cymbopogon proximus – This is used for medicinal purposes.

Sources

Mother Natures Herbal by Judith Griffin

websites: cabi.org, nutrition-and-you.com, and bonnieplants.com