Lemongrass stalks with Lemon Poppyseed Soap on a white background.
Lemongrass stick in lemongrass tea with bundle on wooden table.
Lemongrass with homemade soap provided by Jessica Painter.
Lemongrass Seeds
Lemongrass stalks with Lemon Poppyseed Soap on a white background.
Lemongrass stick in lemongrass tea with bundle on wooden table.
Lemongrass with homemade soap provided by Jessica Painter.
Lemongrass Seeds

Lemongrass Seeds

4.536 ReviewsSKU: #HB162Min. seed count: 60
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Description

(Cymbopogon sp.) The famous tropical lemon-flavored herb. Its long, pale green stems are thick and fleshy. We just love the wonderful flavor this herb adds to soups, curries, and stir fries. We enjoy cooking with it often. This perennial must be grown in warm weather or inside to keep from freezing. We are pleased to offer this rare and much-requested seed.

Growing Tips: Requires heat, humidity, and moist, rich, sharply drained soil. Lemongrass (or lemon grass) typically has irregular germination; extra seeds are provided (sow thickly for best results). Can be overwintered in containers indoors.

Plant Details

Botanical Name
Cymbopogon sp.
Life Cycle
Perennial
Sun Requirement
Full sun
Days to Germinate
5–21
Days to Maturity
75–100
Planting Depth
Surface sow
Plant Spacing
8–12 in.
Ideal Temperature
70°F
Frost Hardy
No

When to Grow

Start lemongrass indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost and transplant out once the last frost has passed. Germination is typically irregular, so sow thickly — extra seed is included for that reason — and allow 5 to 21 days for seedlings to appear. This perennial must be grown in warm weather or inside to keep from freezing, and it can be overwintered in containers indoors.

How to Sow and Plant

  • Seeds germinate in 14-35 days.
  • They germinate best in warm, humid conditions.
  • Cover seedling tray with a humidity dome or a layer of plastic wrap and place in a warm, sunny location.
  • Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost, transplanting out after last frost.
  • Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep and mist until soil is completely moistened.
  • Remove dome or plastic once a week (or as frequently as necessary to prevent soil from drying completely) and water thoroughly before covering again.
  • Ideal germination temperature is 68-75 F.
  • Remove plastic wrap when seedlings have reached 1 inch tall.

How to Grow

  • Prefers full sun.
  • Provide loose, well-drained soil.
  • Space plants 2-3 feet apart.
  • Harvest by cutting single stalks at the base of the plant.
  • Lemongrass is a fairly heavy nitrogen feeder.

PESTS/SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

  • A typically pest-free plant. Sometimes rust is a problem; keep plants well watered at the roots -- not the leaves -- to avoid fungal issues like rust.

How to Save Seeds

Lemongrass will flower and produce seeds given enough time, under favorable (warm and moist) conditions. The process is very hands-off and is an exercise in patience!

  • The flower stalks will come up from the center of the plant and have many flowers and seed pods on each stalk. The flower heads will appear green to begin with, and if you look closely you will see a multitude of tiny pale flowers on the tip of each seed/flower pod.
  • Over a few weeks, the tiny flowers will fall off, and the entire flower/seed stalk will begin to turn brown and droop. Once it is completely brown and dry you can harvest seeds.
  • Stalks can be cut and shaken/beaten inside a bag to release seeds, or the stalks can be stripped of the seed pods by hand, and the seeds can be further separated from plant matter through winnowing or other methods of separating debris.

FAQ

How do I get lemongrass seed to germinate?

It germinates best in warm, humid conditions. Cover the seedling tray with a humidity dome or a layer of plastic wrap and set it in a warm, sunny location at an ideal 68 to 75 F. Mist until the soil is completely moistened, and uncover about once a week — or as often as needed to keep the soil from drying out — to water thoroughly before covering again. Remove the cover once seedlings reach 1 inch tall.

Where should I plant lemongrass out, and how far apart?

Give lemongrass full sun and loose, well-drained soil, spacing plants 8 to 12 inches apart. It is a fairly heavy nitrogen feeder and likes heat, humidity, and moist, rich, sharply drained soil.

How do I harvest lemongrass stalks?

Harvest by cutting single stalks at the base of the plant. The long, pale green stems are thick and fleshy, and the herb is a favorite in soups, curries, and stir fries.
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