Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Herbs
Origin
South Africa
Southeastern Asia
Types
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Ornamental Lemongrass , Citronella, Java Citronella , East Indian Lemongrass ,
Number of Varieties
75
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Boggy areas, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
tropical grasslands
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-118-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
365.76 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
182.88 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Long and slender with very sharp edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Divison, From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires 4 to 8 inches of water above the soil line
Keep the Soil well drained, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in early summer, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Prune in the growing season, Prune in the late winter or spring, Pruning may be required for height clearance, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Wet Site
Drought, Heat And Humidity
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
-
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Bees
Allergy
Toxic
lung problems if inhaled in excess, starts menstrual flow
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Brightens the skin complexion, Provides herbal hair care
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emetic, Febrifuge, Laxative, Odontalgic, Ophthalmic, Tonic
Cough, High blood pressure, High cholestrol, Soothing and relieving pain, Sore throat, Stomach spasms, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Inner Bark, Root, Wood
extracted oil, Leaf Stalks, Leaves, Shoots
Other Uses
Used for woodware
Condiment, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used as a condiment
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Cutflower, Dried Flower, Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BERZELIA lanuginosa
CYMBOPOGON citratus
Common Name
Buttonbush
Lemon Grass, Lemongrass
In Hindi
Buttonbush shrub
शतवेधी
In German
Button Strauch
Zitronengräser
In French
buttonbush arbuste
Cymbopogon
In Spanish
arbusto buttonbush
Cymbopogon
In Greek
Buttonbush θάμνος
lemongrass
In Portuguese
arbusto Buttonbush
Cymbopogon
In Polish
Buttonbush krzew
Palczatka
In Latin
Frutex Buttonbush
lemongrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Rubiales
Poales
Family
Bruniaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Cephalanthus
Cymbopogon
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Andropogoneae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
1252
1
27800
👆🏻