Citronella Culture
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Sandi Perrot
Posted on: March 4, 2002
I have a citronella plant. I would like information on how to care for it.
I
had one last year and planted it in the ground, but it died. I have a baby
one and would like any information you may have on caring and growing it.
Should it be inside or out. Does it need a lot of water or not. Should I
repot it into a bigger pot and when? What does it mean when the leaves
turn
yellow? Any information would be greatly appreciated before I end up
losing this one.
P.S. I live on the Mississipi Gulf Coast.
The MS Gulf coast is in zone 9. The true citronella, Cympopogon nardus is
a relative of lemon grass and should get the same culture: well-drained
moist soil in sun. It looks like a coarse grass. It comes from Sri Lanka and
Java and therefore cannot survive any frost and should be kept above 7
degrees Celsius or 45 degrees Fahrenheit. It has to be wintered indoors in
zone 9. You would therefore do better keeping it in a pot and moving the pot
gradually into full sun during the frost free part of the year. Repot into a
larger pot when the roots come out of the bottom of the pot.
However the true citronella is rare in North America. This common name
is also applied to other herbs with a lemony scent- all adding up to
confusion! The citrosa geranium, Pelargonium 'Citrosa', is also referred to
as citrosa by some authors and that may very well be the plant that you
have, since it is quite common in North America. This plant has leaves
reminding one more of a deeply indented maple leaf in shape and the leaves
are a bit hairy. If this is the plant that you have, it will need a
well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil and will develop the best scent in
full sun. It is planted to keep away biting insects such as mosquitoes, but
does not seem to be very effective in this task. However it is a fine scent
plant.
It is rated hardy for zones 10 to the tropics and would have to come into
the house for the coldest part of the winter. When the plant does not get
enough light or the soil is too sour or has become devoid of available
nutrients, the lower leaves will turn yellow and fall off.
You need to repot it once a year to refresh the soil and gradually move it
into full sun when you put it back out of doors. If the roots grow out of
the bottom of the pot it should be potted on into a larger pot.
Letting the soil in the pot dry out completely kills a lot of the roots.
This would also result in yellow leaves as the plant frantically tries to
adjust the number of leaves that transpire water to the reduced number of
roots that can take up water.
Also when you take the plant in and out of doors you can also expect yellow
leaves, because the plant has to replace plants grown for high light with
leaves that can deal with low light or vice versa.
|
|
