Lemon verbena.

Date: Mon, 6 May 1996 08:57:00 MDT
To: The Culinary Herbs & Spices List <HERBS.HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM>
From: Margaret Lauterbach <mlaute.MICRON.NET>
Subject: Re: lemon verbena

> I bought an impulse purchase of lemon verbena at an herb sale this weekend. It is described as a tender perenial. Will it overwinter in zone 5 or do I want to pot it up and bring it in next fall?
> It smells so yummy. I'm going to have to look up how to do some extracts so I can savor that smell all winter long.

You'll have to bring it inside for winter, unfortunately. There it may get leggy and infested with whiteflies if you ignore it. I doubt you will. Is it any wonder that Spanish explorers "discovered" it by brushing against it in Chile and Argentina, where it grows wild? Wonderful aroma. The leaves are tough, so should be minced before using in culinary manner.

From: Ellee Margileth <emargile.UTK.EDU>

> I bought an impulse purchase of lemon verbena at an herb sale this

I live in zone 7 and I bring mine in. I put it in a sunny window where it survived very well. It usually loses all it leaves, appears dead but it will come back. Herbal Companion had a good article a few years ago on it. Many people would do the same thing with it, have different results or would do something where it shouldn't have survived but it did.

It is a wonderful scent & dries very well. The scent seem to last forever too! It is one of my favorites and I have 2 that have survived 2 winters inside.

ellee in east tn.

From: Brian Williams <bwilliam.WESTMONT.ESU3.NE.US>

I too love Lemon Verbina just bought some the other day. In our hard winters in Nebraska (Zone5) I have not had good luck keeping it over the winter.

From: Fran <frich.TENET.EDU>

I'm fortunate - in zone 8 it's hardy. Just made some tea with it the other day. Yum!

From: "Janice D. Seals" <DianeTN5.AOL.COM>

> I bought an impulse purchase of lemon verbena at an herb sale this

I bought a Lemon Verbena plant last summer and brought it in over the winter. I left it in front of the patio door it lost all of its leaves and then they came back.
I now have it out side where I hope this summer it will fill out. I love its smell too.

A few gently crushed leaves infuse a cup of whipping cream with a light, pure lemon taste.