I've taken a few stems of the lemon verbena plant I have growing in a barrel and covered them with about an inch of soil and pinned them down with plastic forks. This was just a spur of the moment move and I don't even know if this herb lends itself to this method of propagation. Anyone out there who can tell me what to expect and maybe supply some additional info as to the ideal time to do this, what is the best type of growth (green, semi-woody, or woody) to root, and how long it should take to form a viable root system. Paul
Layering Lemon Verbena
The only way I am familiar with is by cuttings in spring or summer. I have never tried rooting in this manner and will be interested to know if you are successful.
Do you leave your L. verbena out over winter or do you provide winter protection?
Podster......This will be my first year to overwinter this herb, so I have a lot more questions than answers. I can't seem to get a fix on just how much cold these plants can take from what I've been reading and researching on the internet. One source said 6 degrees, and another said 40 degrees, with several figures given by other sources in between. It seems that they can take some frost and survive, but will lose their leaves in cold weather and come back in the spring, which makes them a deciduous shrub. I have a small greenhouse with the emphasis on small, but there are a lot of other plants that also need winter protection. So I may have to relocate it to our front porch, which has a southeastern exposure. What's been your experience with keeping this plant alive through the winter? Paul
Paul ~ I love this plant. I have kept mine in a pot so I could provide winter protection. I have not worked up the courage to leave it outdoors thru winter and especially in a pot. I think if it is in ground, in a sheltered spot and mulched, it will endure most winters in this zone. Before I did that and risked loosing it, I would take cuttings to ensure its' survival.
Most of the research I have just reread, indicates
Quoting:
Most also indicate that zone 8 is marginal to survival. OTOH, I provide high shade and bright light in this summer heat.It is suitable for our USDA Zone 8 and often adapts to Zone 7 with careful mulching or a sheltered location. But it only becomes a big shrub in warmer climates. In cool climates it requires full sun. In warmer climates it likes a tiny bit of shade. In colder zones it will have to be kept in containers to be brought into a shelter for winter and kept nearly dry until its time to go back outside to releaf in spring. It is not drought-hardy while in leaf and should not be allowed to dry out.
This plant is deciduous. My heart stopped the first winter I had this plant as it lost all its' leaves. I now know that this is normal. As a result, I harvest the leaves to use. I have never brought mine indoors but left it in a plant shelter allowing it to drop to the 40s at night occasionally. At anything as low as 6 degrees, I would worry about the roots. I would not risk that temp.
I love this mouth watering lemon!
Hmm, sounds like my best bet will be to bring the pot inside soon and let it go dormant in the basement, watering very sparingly.
This is my first year growing lemon verbena, and I love it too!
Yes to bringing in and reducing the water. Be sure to harvest and enjoy the leaves. 8 )
You bet! :-)
I've been growing l.v. as an annual for the past ten years and have found it to die off right around the freeze mark, or perhaps slightly above 32. I've never bothered layering or taking cuttings, though I probably should try. I tend to replace it each Spring with a plant in a 2" pot as it takes off pretty fast. Maybe I'll sneak out and dig it up tomorrow, then bring indoors for the Winter...
Wrightie ~ I would have to bring it indoors ~ for my own sniffing pleasure. Love this guy!
Isn't it wonderful?! Do you cook, Podster?
I hate to admit ~ I cook as little as I can get away with. I love to make soups and stews in winter and desserts anytime. The last I don't need to do very often tho!
Cooking with L Verbena? No I mostly just used to flavor teas. To smell it makes my drool glands salivate! 8 )
Desserts, you say? If you make cakes that would benefit from lemon flavoring, then mince up some of the leaves into the cake mix and/or butter frosting. For example, I'll make a blueberry layer cake from time to time and it is absolutely wonderful with lemon verbena in the batter and homemade frosting.
Slipping some of the leaves in with a bowl of granulated sugar for your teas, etc. is pretty delightful as well.
Yeah I do ~ a lemon bundt cake with tart lemon icing~
The blueberry cake sounds too wonderful. Got a recipe to share?
I had read that you can crush some leaves in the sugar bowl for a lemon flavored sugar. Must try that... it would be delicious sprinkled on sugar cookies. Just finished dinner and I'm hungry!
Yes, crush the leaves and toss in the sugar bowl, much like you would do with a piece of vanilla bean.
I will have to dig around for the recipe. I think I may have lost the original recipe which I believe came out of some sort of cooking with herbs book. However, there's a really good cake in an old Cooking Light book. The basic idea is to make your favorite blueberry cake, adding lemon juice and chopped lemon verbena, then mince the leaves into a good butter frosting as well. Slice the cake into layers, spread the frosting between layers and over top of cake. Put your feet up and pour a yummy beverage to go with it...
Oh, that bundt cake sounds divine - I'm going to have to try something like that.
I have made a blueberry upside down lemon cake and now am wondering how to incorporate L. verbena into it... 8 ))
YUM! That sounds deelightful! I'd mince it into the batter, but would have to experiment to see if I'd mix it in with the berries -- not sure how it would do against the high direct heat(?) Definitely worth playing with. Oooh, and you can make whipped cream with L.v. in it, too.
I need to go for a run. I'm getting fat just thinking about it.
LOL A run must mean you have recovered from your surgery~ or are you running to the frig!
This one I haven't tried but saved it...
Quoting:
Chop just half a cup of fresh lemon verbena leaves and put in a jar. Add 4 cups of vodka and let sit covered for two weeks, shaking every once in a while. After two weeks, add 2 cups of sugar and shake to dissolve. Let THAT sit for two weeks. Strain out the leaves, bottle the gloriously fragrant, delicious liqueur and either add it to desserts, or seltzer. If you REALLY want to drink it straight, I suggest doing that by the THIMBLEFUL!!!! It honestly tastes JUST the way fresh Lemon Verbena leaves smell
Don't remember the source as I neglected to note it.
YUM. I've done the same treatment to fresh cranberries and given it as Christmas gifts before. I'd like to try that with the verbena and compare and contrast the taste differences with limoncello... I don't mind being a guinea pig.
Actually, I probably won't be able to run again before Thanksgiving. I'm the incredible blimping woman at the moment... (and you're not helping me either, btw)
Tis my pleasure Ma'am! LOL
I am looking forward to others sharing their taste of Lemon verbena here too... ?????
Does anyone here have experience with collecting and drying the L.v. leaves? I've only ever used them fresh and am contemplating gathering some up to dry for the Winter months. Does the flavor hold up well in the dried form?
Wrightie ~ yes and no
I have dried them and the thrill is gone....
Okay, then. I'm getting out the shovel today. I've been procrastinating and haven't potted it up yet.
Thanks, Podster.
Much better fresh. I don't remember but think this is one of those herbs you can shred and freeze with water in ice cube trays. Keeping it fresh. Worth a try anyway... and then, you can let us know... 8 )
The flavor and aroma hold up really well in dried form. Great for winter cooking and pot pourri. I've stored it dried and as a simple syrup. In the past I've taken the whole bush out of the ground and hung it to dry, as well as small bunches of @10 or so stems. Now I just move it into my gh and take tip cuttings to root. Don't see why layering wouldn't work. Will be interesting to find out.
I make a great cold drink (sun tea) with it, using equal amounts of Lemon Verbena & Pineapple Sage plus a sprig or two of mint. The simple syrup can be frozen in ice cube trays and kept in baggies to be added to anything that needs a lemon flavor during the winter. The syrup can also be used over cakes, ice cream, fruit, made into a sherbet, or a glaze. Think I'll try freezing a strong tea (without the sugar). It's good in some soups and stews. I love making Emily Tolley's pound cake with it. However, don't need the extra lbs! LOL The vodka recipe sounds really good. Will have to give that a try!
Oh boy, lots of great ideas, JeaneTH. Thanks!
I'll have you know that I finally got off me bum today and potted up my verbena and stuck it in the sun room to overwinter. I even snipped a bunch of mint and lemon balm, which I intend to dry for tea and whatnotz.
hi, I've enjoyed reading your L.v comments. I'm not sure I understand about the layering technique. I have had it now for several years growing in a pot. It grows ok and is now in our foyer by a not so sunny window for the winter. It overwinters ok....gets straggly a bit, drops leaves too. I've never used it yet for baking or anything...I'll have to try :)
We also have a very large pot of lemon grass. Same story, I take it in for the winter...and never tried that either in any recipes yet!
The lemon verbena in a blueberry cake or a pound cake sounds really good!!!!
Yes, it does ~ making me hungry all over again.
JeaneTH ~ I am wondering if I should have hung my LV up to dry. I placed leaves on a cookie sheet in a pilot light heated oven. They are really bland scented and tasting. Perhaps hanging upside down allows the oils to reach the leaves. The warm may have also evaporated it.
podster, any time you use heat it will break down some of the essential oils. Microwaves are the worst thing to use for drying herbs. I must admit that I have recommended the oven technique in my lectures on preserving. However air drying is best. A friend of mine was lucky enough to find a hydrator at a garage sale a few years ago. We've had really good results using that. If I can't hang the herbs I lay the leaves on open baskets or screens. Timing is important too. The leaves have the highest content of essential oils just before they bloom. Right now, at least here in the cold north my plants are busy trying to send all their energy to their roots so the essential oil content of most of the herbs is at it's lowest for the year. Although I've found I like using Lemon Verbena fresh anytime of year.
Usually when I've put my L.v. in the gh it looses it's leaves. Last year it didn't and so far this year it's actually actively growing. I now have a 6 year old tree and a one yr. bush I'm wintering over.
Ohhh does mine ever look spindley in comparison. Thanks for the info. I think fresh is the way to go. Just trying to save the shedding leaves. I will air dry next time and see if they are stronger tasting.
Sorry Wrightie ~ my bad on the info... 8 )
That's a great recipe Podster.
I was wondering what to do with mine besides smell it.
Mine has always been outside. Mainly in a pot but I put it into the ground this spring. I just gave it a comfy blanket of compost and decomposed straw. We'll see how she does.
BB
Podster; I wonder why your LV leaves lose their potency upon being dried? Mine don't, I always put up a few jars to use over the winters, for tea and for fragrant dream pillows....
-Cyra
Cyra I am thinking I rushed the drying... I put them in the oven with a pilot light. Should probably have let them air dry.
Hello. I love lemon verbena. I air dry the leaves and use them as an herb tea with ginger root. I also like them with lemon balm or mint. Use them in potpourri and sachets. I have a plant in a pot that I've been dragging inside for the last 2 winters. It is o.k. so far; goes outside in the summer. Maybe I should just grow it as an annual. Let us know how the propagation works out.
I just started a new job and may have the perfect spot for mine to spend the Winter at the office (instead of in my unheated porch/sunroom). Oh boy!
A job? No more "kept" woman? lol Wrightie ~ I will be curious to know if it suffers from the dry indoor air. If anyone at worl discovers the lemon fragrance it won't have any leaves left. 8 )
Heh heh -- Oh, if ~only~ I were kept!
As for the dry air, I would think that spritzing it would help?