Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Herbs
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Southeastern Asia
Types
-
Ornamental Lemongrass , Citronella, Java Citronella , East Indian Lemongrass ,
Number of Varieties
35
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
tropical grasslands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
9-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
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
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
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, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Pests and diseases free
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought, Heat And Humidity
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees
Allergy
Asthma
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
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cough, High blood pressure, High cholestrol, Soothing and relieving pain, Sore throat, Stomach spasms, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
extracted oil, Leaf Stalks, Leaves, Shoots
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Condiment, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used as a condiment
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
CYMBOPOGON citratus
Common Name
River Birch
Lemon Grass, Lemongrass
In Hindi
River Birch
शतवेधी
In German
Fluss Birch
Zitronengräser
In French
Birch river
Cymbopogon
In Spanish
river Birch
Cymbopogon
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
lemongrass
In Portuguese
river Birch
Cymbopogon
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Palczatka
In Latin
Betula
lemongrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Poales
Family
Betulaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Betula
Cymbopogon
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Andropogoneae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
352
1
27800
👆🏻