Lemon Verbena – Aloysia citriodora
A plant of memory, usefulness, and quiet comfort
When I think of lemon verbena, my mind goes straight to my grandmother. This might well turn into a story about her rather than the plant itself, though the two are tangled together in my memory.
I was about ten when I first crushed a leaf of lemon verbena between my fingers. I loved the unmistakably lemony aroma immediately.
By then, my grandparents had sold their farm and settled into the village. Their home still had an outside toilet, and just beside its door, my grandmother planted a lemon verbena. I never questioned it at the time. Only years later did I learn that the plant’s insect-repelling nature kept the flies at bay. Trust her to know the practical answer long before anyone explained the science to me.
My grandmother was a gardener to her bones. On the farm in South Africa, she started each morning with a basket in hand and an apron tied around her waist, walking out to the vegetable garden to pick whatever she needed for dinner. Everything was fresh, seasonal, and grown without chemicals. That was simply how life was, nothing fancy, nothing forced, and all the better for it. We grew up in that world, running free, a little wild, and thinking it would always be that way.
Even now, lemon verbena has a place in my life, though not in my professional practice. Whenever someone in the family has an upset stomach or the day feels a bit heavier than it should, I steep a few fresh leaves in hot water to make a simple tea. It settles nerves, soothes the stomach, and brings a quiet comfort that reminds me of my grandmother’s calm, practical ways.
The plant’s qualities speak for themselves. Its natural insect-repelling properties are only the beginning. Lemon verbena is known for easing digestive discomfort, calming the nervous system, and helping the body unwind after a stressful day. The aroma alone can lift a muddled mind. And, of course, the leaves make a gentle tea that’s kind on both stomach and spirit.
So perhaps this story is not only about my grandmother or the plant. It’s about small, steady traditions, the sort that pass from one generation to the next, doing just what they have always done: offering a bit of comfort, some healing, and a reminder that the simplest things often work best.
In my own work and daily life, I still lean on those steady, time-tested ways. Not everything needs to be bottled, branded, or complicated to be worthwhile. Plants like lemon verbena remind me of that. They ask for very little and give plenty in return. And while I may not use its essential oil in my practice, the plant itself remains part of my daily life. It is these old, tested remedies which keep me grounded and remind me why I chose the path of Aromatherapy in the first place.
Thank you for reading. These journal entries reflect my work in aromatherapy and my interest in essential oils and the plants they come from.
HannaliseR 