LEMON VERBENA, c/s

Lemon Verbena provides an intense, crisp, minty-citrus scent, considered the most powerful among lemon-scented plants. This flowering perennial shrub is native to western South America. The leaves are carefully harvested when their flavour is at its optimum, just as the tiny purple or white flowers begin to open in late spring or early summer. When dried, the intense, crisp scent becomes pleasantly subtle.

The potential culinary and cosmetic uses of this aromatic herb are broad and diverse. Lemon verbena can be used as a flavouring in ice cream, or even as a unique substitute for oregano or pepper in savoury dishes. Due to the potency of its flavour, it’s best to start with a small amount and adjust to your liking. In savoury cooking, it pairs beautifully with black pepper, rosemary, and sage. This highly versatile, fragrant herb can also be incorporated into sachets, soaps, lotions, and shampoos for its bright aroma.

• Intense, crisp, minty-citrus scent (the strongest of lemon-scented plants)
• Harvested just as flowers begin to open for optimum flavour
• Potent flavour requires small amounts in recipes
• Culinary use ranges from ice cream to savoury seasoning
• Pairs well with black pepper, rosemary, and sage
• Cosmetic application in soaps, lotions, and herbal sachets