Growing lemon verbena

[Minty]

I am interested in growing lemon verbena, as some of you also suggested when it comes to making herbal tea. It seems to me that it requires sunlight more than average. I am planning to grow some, maybe around summer time if everything goes well. But I wonder if humidity is also essential. Or is growing lemon balm easier than lemon verbena?

 

[Birdie]

Or is growing lemon balm easier than lemon verbena?

It depends on your climate and neither plant are terribly difficult to grow, but I'm leaning more towards lemon balm simply because it will grow in most locations and it will do okay in the shade. It thrives in cool temperatures with low humidity, but it will honestly grow just about anywhere. My lemon balm patch has been growing for years and I live in a hot area with high humidity. It dies back in the winter and comes back every spring. If you let the flowers go to seed, they'll generate new plants the next spring. I have some lemon verbena shrubs too, and they're also easy to grow in a warm climate. Lemon verbena thrives in full sun and their oils won't develop as well without it.

 

[Kathy]

Lemon balm is a bit hardier than lemon verbena. They both have a nice scent. Lemon balm tends to grow as a perennial in much of America while lemon verbena must be planted again year after year.