Lemon Verbena Plant Care

Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora) belongs to the Verbenaceae family within the Aloysia genus. Lemon Verbena is native to South America. Lemon Verbena is also known as Lemon Beebrush, Sweet Almond Verbena.

Lemon Verbena displays an upright, spreading shrub growth habit, reaching up to 4 ft tall with a spread of approximately 4 ft. Lemon Verbena produces fragrant clusters of small white or pale lavender flowers.

Leaf size: approximately 2 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Lemon Verbena every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established shrubs mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Lemon Verbena thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Aloysia citrodora tolerates temperatures of 50–85°F. Lemon Verbena prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining loamy soil with added sand and perlite for improved drainage. Good drainage is essential for Lemon Verbena to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Lemon Verbena every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established shrubs in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining loamy soil with added sand and perlite for improved drainage. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Lemon Verbena is suited to USDA Zone 8a – 11b.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped shrubs in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Lemon Verbena can spread to about 4 ft (1.2 m) and reach about 4 ft (1 m) tall. Space plants about 4 ft (1.2 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the plant spacing calculator.

Prune Lemon Verbena while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the shrub in one year.

Lemon Verbena is hardy down to USDA zone 8a, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown shrubs need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Lemon Verbena can be propagated through softwood cuttings, seeds.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Lemon Verbena is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

Lemon Verbena grows outdoors in USDA Zone 8a – 11b. It survives winters down to planting zone 8a. Lemon Verbena is native to South America.