GrassCultivatedPerennialMedicinal

Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf

Lemon grass

No photograph on file for this species yet. Contributors can submit one.

Description

Cymbopogon citratus is a perennial aromatic grass, usually 1–2 m tall, forming large dense clumps. Culms are erect, cylindrical, and arise from short rhizomes. Leaves are long, linear, and aromatic, reaching 50–100 cm long and 1–2 cm wide. Leaf blades are flat, rough-edged, and strongly lemon-scented due to essential oils. The inflorescence is a large terminal panicle, often rarely produced under cultivation. Spikelets occur in pairs characteristic of Cymbopogon. The fruit is a small caryopsis.

Ethnobotany & Uses

Medicinal Importance

Leaves used for Digestive problems, Fever, Colds, Relaxing herbal teas.

Essential Oil Importance

Contains Citral, Geraniol, Myrcene. Used in Perfumes, Cosmetics, Aromatherapy, Insect repellents.

UniFlora AI Assistant

Ask about Lemon grass

Hello! I'm UniFlora AI. Ask me anything about Lemon grass (*Cymbopogon citratus*) — identification tips, flowering season, uses, campus locations, or taxonomy.

Where it grows on campus

North-East Campus1

individuals mapped across 1 zone

Show on campus map

Taxonomic Notes

Recognized by Aromatic leaves, Clumping habit, Citral-rich essential oils, UniFlora Field Recognition Tip 🌿. Look for 🍋 Strong lemon smell, 🌱 Tall dense grass clumps.