Overview

Bring the vibrant flavors of the tropics to your home garden with our premium lemongrass live plant starters. This offering includes two healthy, rooted plants, ready to be transplanted and begin their journey in your culinary or ornamental garden. Known scientifically as Cymbopogon citratus, lemongrass is a versatile herb widely celebrated for its distinctive lemon-scented foliage and swollen, edible stems. It’s a staple in Southeast Asian cuisine, imparting a bright, zesty note to soups, curries, and teas. Beyond its culinary appeal, this plant forms an elegant fountain of gently arching leaves, reaching up to 5 feet in maturity, making it a beautiful addition to any patio or garden space. Our lemongrass live plant is grown without pesticides in Florida, ensuring a natural and robust start for your growing endeavors. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting, growing lemongrass is a rewarding experience that offers both aesthetic beauty and practical utility.

Key Benefits

Our lemongrass live plant starters offer numerous advantages for both the home chef and the gardening enthusiast. These plants are selected for their vigor and potential to flourish, providing you with a continuous supply of this fragrant herb.

• Culinary Versatility: The swollen base of the stems is perfect for adding a fresh, citrusy, and slightly ginger-like flavor to a wide array of dishes, from stir-fries and curries to marinades and herbal teas, making it an essential ingredient for anyone interested in lemongrass for cooking.
• Aromatic & Decorative Appeal: Beyond the kitchen, lemongrass is a stunning ornamental plant. Its tall, graceful foliage creates a natural, elegant focal point in garden beds or containers, releasing a pleasant aroma.
• Natural Insect Repellent: Commonly known as citronella grass plant, lemongrass contains natural compounds that are effective in deterring mosquitoes and other flying insects, making your outdoor spaces more enjoyable.
• Easy to Grow: These starter plants are robust and relatively low-maintenance, thriving with proper sunlight and water. They are an excellent choice for gardeners of all skill levels looking to cultivate a unique tropical herb plant.
• Health & Wellness: Lemongrass is not only delicious but also recognized for potential health benefits, including digestive aid and antioxidant properties, enriching your diet and well-being.
• Container Friendly: Due to its tropical origins, lemongrass can’t withstand frost, making it an ideal candidate for container gardening. This allows you to easily move it indoors during cooler months, extending its growing season.
• Pesticide-Free: Our plants are grown in Florida without pesticides, ensuring that you receive a natural and healthy product for your home and kitchen.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

To ensure your lemongrass live plant thrives, understanding its specific care requirements is crucial. As a tropical herb, it loves warmth and sunlight. Provide your plants with at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. If growing indoors, place them in a south-facing window or under a grow light. The ideal temperature range for lemongrass is between 65-95°F (18-35°C). It is a perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 and 11, but in cooler zones (9 and below), it must be brought indoors before the first frost. When growing lemongrass in containers, ensure the pots have good drainage to prevent root rot.

Water regularly, keeping the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Lemongrass prefers rich, well-draining soil. A good quality potting mix with compost or organic matter will provide the necessary nutrients. Fertilize every 2-4 weeks during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced liquid fertilizer. You can expect substantial growth during the warmer months, with stalks turning green and lush. During cooler months, especially if kept outdoors in marginal zones, the foliage may yellow or appear ‘half dead’; this is a natural dormant phase. Simply trim back any discolored foliage to encourage new growth in spring. This hardy tropical herb plant is generally pest-resistant, but keep an eye out for common garden pests and address them with organic solutions if needed.

Size & Details

You will receive two individual lemongrass live plant starters, each rooted or rooting and prepared for shipping. These are vigorous young plants, cut back for safe transit, but ready to establish quickly in your garden or pots. While images often depict mature plants, these starters are in their initial growth phase, designed to provide you with a strong foundation for a thriving lemongrass patch. Each plant has the potential to grow into a large plume, reaching up to 5 feet tall and spreading significantly within a few seasons, given optimal conditions. They are perennial in warmer climates and can be successfully overwintered indoors in cooler regions. Expect fresh, green stalks during the warmer months (typically March through November), with some natural yellowing or browning possible during colder periods as the plant goes dormant. These plants are grown in Florida without the use of pesticides, ensuring a healthy and natural start for your home garden and culinary adventures with lemongrass for cooking.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this lemongrass plant get? A: Given optimal conditions, each lemongrass live plant can grow into a large plume, reaching up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) in height over a few seasons. Its arching foliage creates a beautiful, full appearance.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Lemongrass is a tropical herb plant that thrives outdoors in warm climates (USDA Zones 10-11). In cooler zones (9 and below), it can be grown outdoors during summer and brought indoors as a container plant for winter to protect it from frost.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: Lemongrass requires plenty of sunlight. It should receive at least 6-8 hours of direct sun per day to grow vigorously. If grown indoors, place it in the brightest available window.
• Q: What condition will the plants arrive in? A: You will receive two rooted or rooting lemongrass starters, which are cut back for safe and efficient shipping. While they may appear smaller than mature plants, they are healthy and ready for planting, designed to quickly establish and grow.
• Q: Can I use this lemongrass for cooking? A: Absolutely! This lemongrass live plant is perfect for culinary use. The swollen base of its stems provides the classic citrusy flavor widely used in Asian cuisine, making it ideal for soups, curries, and teas.
• Q: When is the best time to plant lemongrass? A: The best time to plant lemongrass is in spring after all danger of frost has passed. If you’re growing lemongrass indoors, you can plant it year-round as long as it receives adequate light and warmth.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Lemongrass is perennial outdoors in USDA Zones 10 and 11. If you live in Zone 9 or below, you’ll need to bring your potted lemongrass indoors for winter to protect it from frost, where it can continue to grow as a houseplant.
• Q: Is this plant known as citronella grass? A: Yes, lemongrass is often referred to as citronella grass plant due to its natural compounds that act as an insect repellent, particularly against mosquitoes. It’s a common ingredient in natural insect-repelling products.
• Q: Is this plant grown with pesticides? A: No, our lemongrass plants are grown in Florida without the use of pesticides, ensuring you receive a natural and healthy product for your home and kitchen.
• Q: What kind of soil does lemongrass prefer? A: Lemongrass thrives in rich, well-draining soil. A good quality potting mix amended with compost or other organic matter will provide the ideal growing medium for your lemongrass live plant.