How to Plant Lemon Verbena

Overview

Lemon verbena produces beautiful foliage, and for that reason alone it is a nice garden addition. But the reason most people grow it is because of its scent. When you or a stiff breeze rustles the leaves, a balmy lemon scent fills the air. Lemon verbena has culinary and potpourri uses, as well as being a frequent fragrance agent in perfumes and scented toiletries. Grow your own lemon verbena from cuttings, since it does not propagate well from seed.

Step 1

Fill your pot with potting soil. Poke a hole about an inch deep into the soil with your finger.

Step 2

Place the cut end of the cutting into the hole in the soil. Firm the soil around it gently with your fingers. Make sure the cutting is well supported by the soil.

Step 3

Water the soil around the cutting slightly, just enough to moisten the soil. Do not water the cutting directly.

Step 4

Place the cutting in a window that gets indirect sunlight, such as through blinds or curtains. Shelter the parent plant from which you got the cutting in a similar manner, if possible; it will be tender after you have taken cuttings from it.

Step 5

Monitor your lemon verbena cutting closely; as long as the cutting was taken in spring, it should root very quickly. Keep the soil moist, but do not over water or you risk rotting the plant.

Step 6

Water sparingly whenever the soil seems very dry. Err on the side of under rather than over watering to avoid the risk of root rot; as time goes on, you will begin to figure out when your lemon verbena wants more water.