The clean, crisp scent of citrus. No, not the laundry. The plants. Here’s a roster of lemon and citrus-scented flora with fragrance aplenty and you can find many of them at local garden centers. Snap them up now so they can brighten up the winter months.

Lemon Verbena (Aloysia triphylla).  The leaves of this herb pack a lemony scent and flavor without the bitter bite of real lemon.  Grow it as an annual in full sun, either in the ground or in a pot and water it regularly.

Lemon Thyme (Thymus x citriodorus). This low-growing herb prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Crush the delicate leaves to release that lemony fragrance.  

Lemon Grass (Cymbopogon citratus). Grow this long-stemmed grasslike herb outdoors in a 12-inch pot in full sun or light shade. Come fall place it indoors in a sunny window. The stems, which add a fresh, bright note to Thai cooking and herbal teas, can be harvested all year.

Lemon Basil (Ocimum citriodorum). Move over big-leaf basil and make room for at least one pot of lemon basil. Grow this yummy annual in full sun or light shade and harvest the small leaves regularly to prevent flowering, which reduces the plant’s flavor and vigor. Lemon pesto here we come.

Citrus-scented Geraniums (Pelargonium citronellum). Lemony, spicy, minty.  There are plenty of annual geraniums that are only to happy to release their fragrant oils when there leaves are touched. Grow them in full sun and take a deep breath.



Citrus trees. It’s not easy growing fruit trees indoors but both lemon and grapefruit trees will prosper in a sunny window if you can provide 70 degree temps during the day and at least 55 degrees at night. Give them a summer vacation outside in light shade. “What I like best about my grapefruit tree are the flowers,” says horticulturist Sue Hess Miller of Batavia. “They are amazing and wonderfully fragrant.”
 
— Nina Koziol
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