Name: Cymbopogon citratus
Commonly: Lemon Grass, Citronella Grass, West Indian Lemon Grass
Family: Poaceae - Grasses
• Lemon Grass is a native Australian, Asian and African herbaceous perennial grass. It is extremely tough and low maintenance as well as drought and frost tolerant.
• The foliage has a strong citron fragrance when crushed. It is thin, lance shaped, long and strappy with a razor-sharp outside edge. Care must be taken when removing foliage. 
• At the base of the plant are thick tubular stems that are high in fibre, folate, and magnesium along with many other nutrients.
• Usually grown in clumps that grow to 90cm tall and wide. Can also be cultivated in mass plantings in landscapes, in planter boxes, pots, and hanging baskets very successfully.
• It thrives in a warm climate with plenty of moisture and is adaptable to most soil types, including poor soil. 
• Lemon Grass prefers fertile, well drained soil in a full sun position. 
• It has been traditionally used medicinally, in health and beauty products, freshly prepared and utilised in cooking or dried and steeped in boiling water to make hot tea as an ailment for sore throat, fever, headaches and to reduce inflammation. It is very high in antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-oxidant properties.
• Cut across on the tubular stem using either or both the foliage and the stem, but never remove the plant from the soil. The stem will produce new foliage after it has been cut back. 
• The oil produced from Lemon Grass is called Citronella Oil and is a valuable form of insect repellent.