I was very surprised to discover an Aloysia citriodora shrub of 2 meters height when we first cleaned out the garden. Having always had to keep this plant in a pot in Switzerland I wasn’t aware it grew that big.
Aloysia citriodora is also known as Aloysia triphylla, Lippia citriodora, Lippia triphylla or simply Lemon Verbena. It is a perennial that can grow to 3 meters. Its lemon scent is much stronger and clearer than that of Lemon balm and it makes great tea. I’ve since discovered that there are many more Aloysia, among the scented ones are Aloysia polystachya or Mint Verbena, Aloysia virgata or Sweet Almond Verbena, and Aloysia chamaedryfolia with a scent of lilac and lemon. All of them are well suited to dry mediterranean climates.
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