Lemon verbena facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lemon verbena |
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Aloysia
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A. citrodora
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| Aloysia citrodora Paláu
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Lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) is a lovely plant known for its strong lemon scent. It's part of the verbena family and grows as a shrub. This plant is native to South America, found in countries like Argentina, Chile, and Peru. When it blooms in late summer, you can see its tiny flowers, which are usually purple or white. People have used lemon verbena for a long time, not just for its beautiful smell but also for cooking and making refreshing drinks. It is sometimes called lemon beebrush.
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What is Lemon Verbena?
Lemon verbena is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to a group of plants known as Aloysia. The plant itself is a shrub, which means it's a woody plant smaller than a tree. It can grow quite tall, sometimes up to 2 to 3 meters (about 6 to 10 feet) high.
This plant is special because of its leaves. They are long and narrow, and when you gently rub them, they release a strong, fresh lemon smell. This scent comes from natural oils inside the leaves. The flowers are small and grow in clusters. They can be white or a light purple color.
Where Does it Grow?
Lemon verbena originally comes from South America. You can find it growing naturally in countries like Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Peru. It likes warm weather and sunny places. Because it smells so good and is useful, people now grow it in many other parts of the world too. It's often grown in gardens or pots in places with cooler winters, as it needs protection from frost.
How We Use Lemon Verbena
Lemon verbena is very popular because of its wonderful lemon flavor and scent. People use it in many different ways, especially in cooking and for making drinks.
In the Kitchen
The leaves of the lemon verbena plant are often used to add a lemony taste to food.
- Cooking: You can use fresh or dried leaves to flavor fish and poultry dishes. It also tastes great in vegetable marinades and salad dressings.
- Baking: The leaves can be added to jams and puddings for a unique citrus twist.
- Drinks: One of the most common uses is to make a refreshing herb tea. Just steep a few leaves in hot water. It's also used to flavor cold drinks. For example, the popular Inca Kola soft drink from Peru uses lemon verbena for its special taste.
Other Uses
Beyond cooking, lemon verbena has been used for other purposes for a long time.
- Scent: Because of its strong, pleasant smell, the leaves are often used in potpourri or sachets to make rooms smell nice.
- Traditional Uses: In some cultures, lemon verbena has been used in traditional remedies. People believed it could help with things like digestion or relaxation.
Images for kids
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Inca Kola soft drink, which is flavored with lemon verbena.
See also
In Spanish: Cedrón para niños
