Citronella oil, the savior contained in the battle in opposition to the mighty mosquito! For a lot of who reside in a heat humid native local weather then it’s best to have heard of citronella on account of the oil utilized in a burner, a candle or a magnificence lotion smothered on the pores and pores and pores and skin to repel mosquitoes from biting. Nonetheless, have you ever ever learnt the place it comes from? Correctly, let me introduce you to the citronella plant, Cymbopogon nardus!
The citronella plant is to not be confused with one totally different lemony ‘supposed’ insect repellent plant, the scented geranium, Pelargonium citrosum (or Citrosa geranium). The scented geranium, generally usually often called citronella geranium, is easy on the attention and smells unbelievable, nonetheless it actually does nothing contained in the battle in opposition to pests.
The true citronella plant is a big tufted perennial grass with inexperienced leaves rising upright to 6ft tall (1.8m) and 4ft large (1.2m) throughout the precise circumstances. It’s the oil contained all by means of the leaves that repels bugs and it may solely be harvested by the use of crushing the leaves. The existence of those grasses with their medium inexperienced texture alone is simply not going to discourage mosquitos.
The plant’s oil has an extended historic earlier of medicinal use akin to treating lice, parasites, or worms, together with relieving migraines and fevers. Its antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fungal properties make it helpful in each cleansing and sweetness merchandise offering them with an unmistakable lemon scent. Planting it’s an environment friendly method so as in order so as to add fairly a couple of contrasting textures to your yard.
Fast Care Data
| Frequent Decide | citronella plant, mosquito plant, citronella grass, geranium grass, and nardus grass |
| Scientific Decide | Cymbopogon nardus, Cymbopogon winterianus |
| Household | Poaceae |
| Peak & Unfold | 6ft x 4ft |
| Light | Full picture voltaic to partial shade |
| Soil | Loam |
| Water | Fastened widespread watering |
| Pests & Sicknesses | Leaf blight |
All About The Citronella Plant
For a lot of who uncover a plant at yard companies or large self-discipline retailers with the botanical set up Cymbopogon nardus or Cymbopogon winterianus then you definately undoubtedly positively could very nicely be assured you would possibly want found the well known citronella plant, moreover known as citronella grass, geranium grass, mosquito plant, and nardus grass. It comes from the plant household Poaceae. This grass plant is an upright tufted grass with lance-shaped bluish-green leaves sprouting from extended brownish-red erect stems and rising to 3-4 ft extended (90-120cm).
Citronella grass is an fragrant evergreen perennial, native to Sri Lanka nonetheless frequent in most warm-temperate, subtropical and tropical areas of Asia and Africa. In cooler climates, citronella crops are grown as annuals and launched indoors over winter. It’s intently associated to lemon grass.
When optimum circumstances are met for rising, the citronella plant will produce panicles of flowers on spikelets borne on extended flowering stems protruding as rather a lot as 6ft from the middle of the plant. These flowers will readily self-seed nonetheless require mounted temperatures of between 20-22 C to germinate. Seeds are delicate brown, dry, and typical of grasses/cereals. Crops grown in cooler climates are rather a lot a lot much less further susceptible to provide viable flowers.
Mosquito crops will unfold naturally by the use of creeping underground rhizomes and might develop to be considerably invasive of their pure tropical native local weather with its vigorous rising habits, out-competing current flora and cultivated crops.
This grass is often grown in a summer season season season border or in window packing containers for its insect repellent properties. Many gardeners take into consideration that the citrus aroma of crops is sufficient to repel mosquitos like bug zappers nonetheless sadly this isn’t true. It’s the oil contained all by means of the leaves that’s utilized in mosquito repellents, nonetheless it actually should be extracted first by the use of the technique of distillation. For a lot of who merely crush the leaves by hand it’s possible you’ll launch some oil, nonetheless not sufficient for repelling mosquitoes. Nonetheless, some gardeners swear that crushing and rubbing the leaves on their pores and pores and pores and skin might be going one in every of many pure methods to utilize a mosquito repellent, and that citronella scent could also be worthwhile in retaining fairly a couple of mosquitoes away when you’re working contained in the yard! Most attention-grabbing to pair them with bug zappers for finest outcomes.
The extracted vital oil of citronella mosquito crops has a strong lemony perfume usually used to fragrance cosmetics, soaps, deodorants, and pores and pores and pores and skin lotions notably used as mosquito repellents. Citronella candles and oil burners are used at night time as mosquito repellent. The anti-bacterial and anti-fungal nature of the oil makes it fantastic for cleansing and disinfecting merchandise. Warning ought to be used when utilizing these merchandise. Inhaling the oil vapors would possibly set off an allergic response in some individuals and citronella oil may irritate delicate pores and pores and pores and skin. The citronella plant is just not going to be edible, in distinction to its shut cousin Cymbopogon citratus, often usually referred to as lemon grass.
You perhaps have purchased a ‘citronella plant’ with lacy foliage and a citrus scent, then it’s nearly really you would possibly want lemon-scented geranium, generally usually often called the citronella geranium, which is certainly a part of the geranium household. The lacy leaves scent similar to this grass, nonetheless the leaves don’t comprise the insect repellent citronella oil and on account of this actuality are ineffective at retaining these pesky mosquitoes from biting. Sadly, members of the geranium household could also be fairly crops to your yard amongst completely totally different flowers, nonetheless their lacy leaves merely don’t repel mosquitoes efficiently!
Planting Citronella Plant
Mosquito plant could very nicely be planted all yr prolonged if grown in tropical, subtropical, or heat temperate climates. The vigorously rising mosquito plant obtained’t take extended to find out. In cooler climates wait till late spring to early summer season season season ahead of planting out into the yard.
Select a location in full picture voltaic with some partial shade on the most popular a part of the day for mosquito plant. Leaves can develop to be merely scorched and look ugly. This grass is adaptable to most soil varieties, nonetheless the mosquito plant prefers moist loam-based soil that’s well-draining.
Rising mosquito crops from seed is just not going to be advisable as germination could very nicely be erratic. The vigorous progress and rhizomatic roots make it a main candidate for propagation from division.
Citronella grass is correct for rising as potted crops on account of it enables you to change crops into quite a lot of areas to fit your needs. It’s potential it’s possible you’ll ought to put money into larger pots as your container crops outgrow smaller containers, or just divide the plant and replant a division throughout the equal container and share the others with fellow gardeners. Container rising mosquito plant is an environment friendly danger for colder zones on account of it permits your plant to be merely moved indoors over winter to guard them from frost.
Citronella Plant Care
This grass is native to the tropics. Nonetheless, it is vitally adaptable to cooler climates must you understand how one can deal with it. Let’s focus on mosquito crops, data you’ll ought to know to maintain them, and sustaining their beautiful foliage in your yard!
Photograph voltaic and Temperature
Citronella is primarily a sub-tropical grass with a variety for full picture voltaic (a minimum of six hours) and heat temperatures. In terribly commonplace climates present shade or filtered daylight through the most popular time of the day to forestall the leaves from scorching, make certain that it’s going to get a minimum of six hours of daylight. In areas with rather a lot a lot much less warmth, give the plant extra delicate.
Don’t let this plant’s tropical origins put you off rising it in case you is perhaps positioned north of the equator! Hardy to USDA zones 10-12, the citronella plant can tolerate temperatures all the best way wherein all the best way all the way down to 32ºF (0ºC) nonetheless is simply not going to tolerate extended intervals of frost. Carry your citronella indoors in giant pots when the primary frost is forecast.
Water and Humidity
Present extended deep drinks when the soil begins to dry out or present irrigation by the use of soaker/drip hoses to deal with mounted moisture. This grass prefers persistently moist soil nonetheless surprisingly can tolerate extended intervals of drought. Cut back watering through the winter months nonetheless affirm repeatedly to make sure crops haven’t completely dried out, notably these grown in containers. A soaker hose or completely totally different sort of drip irrigation on the underside of the plant might be utilized to assist in watering your yard.
Soil
For optimum outcomes develop citronella in a wealthy loam-based, free-draining soil or compost. Citronella may be very adaptive to most soil varieties and as shortly as established will do efficiently. The place soils are very poor, dig in some pure matter ahead of planting to produce dietary nutritional vitamins and to assist with moisture retention. Soil pH needs to be impartial, and efficiently drained soils are finest.
Fertilizing
Fertilize citronella yearly in spring with a superb high quality slow-release nitrogen-rich fertilizer. In case your plant is trying significantly lackluster, then a fast feed with a liquid nitrogen fertilizer or all objective plant meals ought to convey it as soon as extra to healthful rising habits. Along with a serious inch of compost plenty of events a yr all through the underside of your plant will even work in lieu of fertilizers or all objective plant meals.
Pruning
Citronella crops require little or no pruning when grown of their pure ambiance. At most, probably they will income from the odd trim of brown leaves and deadheading each few weeks to forestall self-seeding. Crops grown in containers in cooler climates will income from a difficult prune to six inches (15cm) above the crown ahead of bringing them correct proper right into a sheltered home or indoors over winter. New shoots will seem in spring prepared for going as soon as extra out of doors.
Propagation
This grass is unlikely to develop viable seeds until grown in optimum native local weather circumstances. Even with viable seeds, germination is erratic. The principle sort of propagation for citronella crops is through division. The vigorous rising nature of citronella lends itself completely for division to maintain plant measurement beneath administration. It’s furthermore an environment friendly choice to maintain container-grown crops in affirm.
Divide a healthful plant that’s a minimum of 2-3 years outdated and has developed a superb root system. Dig up your entire plant and utilizing a noticed, spade or knife divide the plant into as many divisions you require. Pot every division up individually or replant into new positions contained in the yard. Water efficiently till crops are established. If utilizing this technique, assure there’s ample time for the mannequin new mosquito crops to develop to be well-established ahead of the primary frost.
Root cuttings are one different choice must you happen to don’t have to dig up an entire plant. Root cuttings needs to be taken in winter when crops are dormant and their roots are nutrient-rich, thus giving cuttings most likely the best probability to develop. Merely take away soil from the underside of the plant till roots are seen and reduce off 2-3 inches of root with a clear pair of snips. Place the slicing correct proper right into a pot of compost and place someplace vivid and heat, retaining the compost moist. Shoots ought to look in early spring.
Troubleshooting
Citronella is a simple plant to deal with with few rising factors. Listed beneath are plenty of factors to look out for merely in case. Figuring out these will assist you defend a healthful plant.
Rising Factors
Your mosquito plant advantages from afternoon shade to guard the leaves from picture voltaic scorch through the most popular time of the day. The scorched leaves are ugly and the hurt reduces the plant’s expertise to photosynthesize thus lowering the plant’s primary correctly being.
Moist toes might also be an issue for citronella crops. Though they like soil to be persistently moist, heavy moist soil will in the reduction of the power of the plant to take up dietary nutritional vitamins from the soil and would possibly set off crops to deteriorate. It’d even set off root rot and the demise of the plant. Develop citronella grass in free-draining, loam-based soil to keep away from this rising draw again.
Pests
This citronella tends to not be affected by pests.
Sicknesses
Commercially grown citronella could very nicely be matter to leaf blight. That is notably prevalent in sub-tropical climates the place crops are grown densely to provide citronella oil. Lack of air circulation offers fantastic circumstances for blight to take maintain and would possibly end in a discount in each the amount and high quality of oil extracted. Blight is much a lot much less frequent in home gardens until crops are allowed to develop to be very congested. Indicators of blight are darkish spots or lesions on leaves from which necrosis begins to rot the leaves. Take away and destroy affected leaves instantly. Divide congested crops each few years and take away ineffective or dying foliage to strengthen air circulation. Copper fungicides could also be helpful to assist forestall blight.
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Q: Do citronella crops really defend mosquitoes away?
A: The oil extracted from the leaves of citronella crops has some pure mosquito repellent qualities when utilized in candles, lotions, and oil burners. The crops of their pure variety don’t assist in repelling mosquitoes.
Q: Does citronella plant like picture voltaic or shade?
A: Citronella plant likes to develop in a vivid sunny spot, nonetheless will income from some shade on the most popular a part of the day to guard leaves from scorch.
Q: Is citronella a superb houseplant?
A: Citronella is commonly confused with the citronella geranium or scented geraniums (Pelargonium citrosum, generally usually often called Citrosa geranium), which have a lemony scent and make nice houseplants. Sadly, the citronella geranium wouldn’t repel mosquitoes. True citronella crops are giant grasses rising as rather a lot as 6ft tall and 4ft large and are unsuitable for lots of indoor progress for very extended. It does make for an beautiful patio plant as most individuals have sufficient room on their patio for a fair greater species.