Lemongrass has been cultivated for centuries as a culinary and medicinal herb. It has a long history of use in India for treating fever and infectious diseases. It was also used to freshen the home. As its species name implies, it has a citruslike scent, which may be familiar to many of us who grew up using Ivory ® soap. It is an important flavoring ingredient in many Asian cuisines, especially Thai. Lemongrass is also a component in many Ayurvedic remedies.
Medicinal Uses
Acne, arthritis, athlete’s foot, digestive system support, fever, flatulence, gastroenteritis, head lice, headache, indigestion, insect bites and stings, insect repellent, jock itch, laryngitis, mental fatigue, muscle ache or pain, nerve pain, nervous exhaustion, rheumatism, ringworm, scabies, skin care, sore throat, sprains, stomachache or pain, stress, vaginal yeast infection (vaginitis)
Precautions and Contraindications
The essential oils: May cause skin irritation; do not use around the eyes; do not use on babies or children; avoid during pregnancy; may cause dermal irritation or sensitization in some.
Parts of Plant Used
Herbal remedies and essential oils: Leaves
Culinary purposes: Stems
Growing and Harvesting
Lemongrass is a tropical aromatic grass with a pungent, lemony fragrance. It grows in large, dense clumps that can reach up to five feet tall and four feet wide. Lemongrass has long, narrow leaf blades. The base of the leaf stems are white and enlarged, similar to leeks. Inconspicuous, greenish flowers grow atop branching stalks, however, lemongrass rarely comes into bloom.
|
Type |
Zone |
Light |
Soil |
Moisture |
Height |
Spacing |
|
Perennial |
9 |
Full sun |
Sandy loam |
Moist |
3–5' |
2–4' |
If you are in the warmer zones, lemongrass can be started by seed. For container growing in cooler zones, start seeds in six-inch pots. To overwinter indoors, give it a warm, sunny location. This plant is most easily propagated by root division. Lemongrass repels ants, flies, and mosquitoes. It is a good companion to lavender, mints, and sage.
The leaves and stems can be harvested after the plant is twelve inches tall. To harvest just the leaves, cut them above the bulbous part of the stem. When harvesting the bottom of the stems, which look like fat scallions, pull off dried leaves until you get to the white center. Soak them in water because, like leeks, gritty dirt can get down in between the leaf layers. Both leaves and stems can be dried or frozen for storage.
How to Use the Herb
Lemongrass shares many insect-repelling compounds with its cousin citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) and has been used to repel fleas, ticks, and lice. While outside, just crush a leaf and rub it on your skin. In advance of an outing, make a cream that you can apply at home or take with you. The cream or a bath infusion can be used as treatment for ringworm. In addition, a bath infusion helps get rid of scabies and head lice. Lemongrass can be combined with bay for soothing insect bites and stings. An infusion can be dabbed on affected areas or used to make a cream.
Take the Sting Out of Bites Lemongrass Infusion
3 tablespoons dried lemongrass leaves, crumbled
1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried chamomile flowers, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried peppermint leaves, crumbled
1 cup boiling water
Combine the herbs and then add the water. Steep for 30 to 60 minutes and strain.
The fungicidal properties of lemongrass make it an effective treatment for athlete’s foot, vaginitis, and jock itch. The Lemongrass and Lavender Tea helps deal with these issues internally and topically while it also provides stress relief. Drink one to four cups of tea a day.
Lemongrass and Lavender Tea
2 teaspoons dried lemongrass leaves, crumbled
2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers, crumbled
2 cups boiling water
Combine the herbs and add the water. Steep for 10 to 20 minutes and strain.
The tea or a stronger infusion can be used for a compress to place on affected areas, or it can be used for a foot soak or sitz bath. Fresh lemongrass can be used to make a poultice, too. In addition, the poultice or a bath with a lemongrass infusion is effective in easing arthritis pain.
Lemongrass has strong antiseptic properties that make it ideal for treating sore throats and laryngitis. Brew a tea with 2 teaspoons of lemongrass in 1 cup of water and use it as a gargle or mouthwash. The tea can also be used to reduce a fever.
The same properties that make it good to treat sore throats also make it an ideal astringent for toning the skin and treating acne. Use the tea at room temperature, or in the summer chill it in the fridge before splashing it on your face.
Like many herbs, lemongrass supports a healthy digestive tract and can be used to relieve digestive problems such as stomach pain, indigestion, gastroenteritis, and flatulence. Make a tea with 1 or 2 teaspoons of dried leaves in 1 cup of boiling water. Steep for ten to fifteen minutes. Drink a cup once or twice a day. If you prefer a tincture instead of tea, take ½ to 1 teaspoon once or twice a day.
The bulbous bottom of the lemongrass stem is used in Asian cooking and is a common ingredient in Thai food. Try it in a vegetable stir-fry or any dish that can be enhanced with a lemony taste without the sourness of lemon. Because it combines well with garlic and chili peppers, lemongrass enhances the flavor of salsa.
Salsa with a Lemony Lemongrass Twist
2 stalks lemongrass, cut into a few large pieces
6 medium tomatoes, diced
1 chili pepper (or more if you like it hot), diced
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, pressed
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Place the tomatoes in a blender or food processor and give it a few pulses. Add the onion, chili pepper, garlic, and olive oil, and pulse again a few times. Pour the mixture into a bowl, add the cilantro and lemongrass, and mix well. Let it sit in the fridge for an hour or two. Remove the lemongrass, stir, and serve.
A medicinal honey made with lemongrass leaves will add a nice lemony flavor to tea as it aids the digestive system. Also, freeze chopped leaves into ice cube trays to flavor summer drinks.
How to Use the Essential Oils
The color of lemongrass essential oil can be yellow, amber, or reddish-brown. It has a fresh, grassy citrus scent with earthy undertones.
Lemongrass helps ease arthritic joint pain, rheumatism, general muscle pain, nerve pain, and sprains. Combine it with lavender and rosemary to boost its effects.
Lemongrass Pain Reliever Massage Blend
5 drops lemongrass essential oil
4 drops lavender essential oil
3 drops rosemary essential oil
1 ounce carrier oil
Mix the essential oils together and then combine with the carrier oil. Coconut works well as a carrier oil.
Use lemongrass on its own or blend it with lavender and chamomile to relieve headaches, mental fatigue, nervous exhaustion, and stress. This mix works nicely in a diffuser, too. For headaches, dilute the blend to 1 percent to massage the temples. Do this by doubling the amount of carrier oil or by using half the amount of essential oils.
Lemongrass, lavender, and peppermint make an effective insect repellent blend that can be used for an ointment or a cream. This combination of oils can also be used to scent the air and keep insects out of the house or away from a patio area while dining. Cut foot-long strips of cotton ribbons, dip them in the essential oil blend (there is no need to use a carrier oil for this), and then hang them in open windows or around your patio. Use red, white, and blue ribbons for Fourth of July celebrations or any colors that suit the occasion. If ribbons aren’t your thing, use the blend in a diffuser or vaporizer.