Citronella oil, the savior all through the battle in opposition to the mighty mosquito! For people who reside in a heat humid native local weather then it is best to have heard of citronella because 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 completely different lemony ‘supposed’ insect repellent plant, the scented geranium, Pelargonium citrosum (or Citrosa geranium).  The scented geranium, normally usually referred to as citronella geranium, is easy on the attention and smells unbelievable, nonetheless it actually does nothing all through the battle in opposition to pests.

The true citronella plant is a huge tufted perennial grass with inexperienced leaves rising upright to 6ft tall (1.8m) and 4ft big (1.2m) throughout the precise situations.  It’s the oil contained all by the leaves that repels bugs and it’d solely be harvested by the use of crushing the leaves.  The existence of those grasses with their medium inexperienced texture alone simply is 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 strategy so as in order so as to add quite a few contrasting textures to your yard.

Fast Care Information

All About The Citronella Plant

For people who uncover a plant at yard companies or big space retailers with the botanical decide Cymbopogon nardus or Cymbopogon winterianus then you definately definately undoubtedly may probably be assured you may want found the widely 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 situations are met for rising, the citronella plant will produce panicles of flowers on spikelets borne on extended flowering stems protruding as lots as 6ft from the middle of the plant.  These flowers will readily self-seed nonetheless require fastened temperatures of between 20-22 C to germinate. Seeds are gentle brown, dry, and typical of grasses/cereals.  Crops grown in cooler climates are lots a lot much less additional extra prone to produce 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 conduct, out-competing current flora and cultivated crops.

This grass is often grown in a summer 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 satisfactory to repel mosquitos like bug zappers nonetheless sadly this isn’t true.  It’s the oil contained all by the leaves that’s utilized in mosquito repellents, nonetheless it actually must be extracted first by the use of the technique of distillation.  For people who merely crush the leaves by hand it’s possible you’ll launch some oil, nonetheless not satisfactory 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 all many pure methods to utilize a mosquito repellent, and that citronella scent could also be worthwhile in retaining quite a few mosquitoes away whilst you’re working all through the yard! Finest to pair them with bug zappers for finest outcomes.

The extracted crucial 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 wonderful for cleansing and disinfecting merchandise.  Warning ought to be used when utilizing these merchandise.  Inhaling the oil vapors may set off an allergic response in some folks and citronella oil can also irritate delicate pores and pores and pores and skin. The citronella plant will not be edible, in distinction to its shut cousin Cymbopogon citratus, normally generally referred to as lemon grass.

You possibly have purchased a ‘citronella plant’ with lacy foliage and a citrus scent, then it’s practically positively you may want lemon-scented geranium, normally usually referred to as the citronella geranium, which is definitely a part of the geranium household.  The lacy leaves scent very like this grass, nonetheless the leaves don’t comprise the insect repellent citronella oil and as a consequence of this actuality are ineffective at retaining these pesky mosquitoes from biting. Sadly, members of the geranium household could also be stunning crops to your yard amongst utterly completely different flowers, nonetheless their lacy leaves merely don’t repel mosquitoes efficiently!

Planting Citronella Plant

Mosquito plant may probably be planted all yr prolonged if grown in tropical, subtropical, or heat temperate climates. The vigorously rising mosquito plant acquired’t take extended to find out. In cooler climates wait till late spring to early summer season season prior to 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 will not be advisable as germination may probably be erratic.  The vigorous progress and rhizomatic roots make it a essential candidate for propagation from division. 

Citronella grass is true for rising as potted crops because of it allows you to change crops into quite a lot of areas to fit your wants.  It’s potential it’s possible you’ll ought to put money into better pots as your container crops outgrow smaller containers, or just divide the plant and replant a division throughout the an similar container and share the others with fellow gardeners.  Container rising mosquito plant is an environment friendly danger for colder zones because 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 while you understand the way in which to keep up it. Let’s discuss mosquito crops, info you’ll ought to know to deal with them, and sustaining their beautiful foliage in your yard!

Picture voltaic and Temperature

Citronella is primarily a sub-tropical grass with a different for full picture voltaic (a minimal of six hours) and heat temperatures.  In terribly commonplace climates present shade or filtered daylight by way of the most popular time of the day to forestall the leaves from scorching, be certain that it’ll get a minimal of six hours of daylight. In areas with lots a lot much less warmth, give the plant additional gentle.

Don’t let this plant’s tropical origins put you off rising it in case you is likely to be positioned north of the equator!  Hardy to USDA zones 10-12, the citronella plant can tolerate temperatures all one of the best ways all the way in which right down to 32ºF (0ºC) nonetheless simply is not going to tolerate extended intervals of frost. Carry your citronella indoors in massive 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 keep up fastened moisture.  This grass prefers persistently moist soil nonetheless surprisingly can tolerate extended intervals of drought. Scale back watering by way of the winter months nonetheless affirm repeatedly to confirm crops haven’t completely dried out, notably these grown in containers. A soaker hose or utterly completely different type of drip irrigation on the underside of the plant can 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 is also very adaptive to most soil varieties and as rapidly as established will do efficiently.  The place soils are very poor, dig in some pure matter prior to planting to provide dietary nutritional vitamins and to assist with moisture retention.  Soil pH have to be impartial, and efficiently drained soils are finest.

Fertilizing

Fertilize citronella yearly in spring with an impressive 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 goal plant meals should convey it as soon as extra to healthful rising habits. Along with a major inch of compost plenty of situations a yr all through the underside of your plant will even work in lieu of fertilizers or all goal plant meals.

Pruning

Citronella crops require little or no pruning when grown of their pure surroundings. At most, maybe they might 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 tough prune to six inches (15cm) above the crown prior to bringing them correct proper right into a sheltered space or indoors over winter. New shoots will seem in spring prepared for going as soon as extra outside.

Propagation

This grass is unlikely to develop viable seeds until grown in optimum native local weather situations.  Even with viable seeds, germination is erratic. The principle type of propagation for citronella crops is through division. The vigorous rising nature of citronella lends itself totally for division to maintain up plant measurement beneath administration.  It’s furthermore an environment friendly choice to protect container-grown crops in affirm.

Divide a healthful plant that could be a minimal of 2-3 years outdated and has developed an impressive root system.  Dig up your complete 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 all through 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 prior to the primary frost.

Root cuttings are one different different while you happen to don’t want to dig up a complete plant. Root cuttings have to be taken in winter when crops are dormant and their roots are nutrient-rich, thus giving cuttings top-of-the-line 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 straightforward plant to keep up with few rising factors.  Listed beneath are plenty of factors to look out for merely in case. Figuring out these will assist you shield a healthful plant.

Rising Factors

Your mosquito plant advantages from afternoon shade to guard the leaves from picture voltaic scorch by way of the most popular time of the day.  The scorched leaves are ugly and the hurt reduces the plant’s skill to photosynthesize thus decreasing the plant’s regular correctly being.

Moist toes may additionally be an issue for citronella crops.  Though they like soil to be persistently moist, heavy moist soil will scale back the ability of the plant to take up dietary nutritional vitamins from the soil and may set off crops to deteriorate. It would 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 may probably be topic to leaf blight.  That is notably prevalent in sub-tropical climates the place crops are grown densely to supply citronella oil. Lack of air circulation affords wonderful situations for blight to take protect and may end in a discount in each the amount and high quality of oil extracted.  Blight is way a lot much less frequent in dwelling 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 spice up air circulation. Copper fungicides could also be helpful to assist forestall blight.

Ceaselessly Requested Questions

Q: Do citronella crops actually shield 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 type 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 an impressive houseplant?

A: Citronella is generally confused with the citronella geranium or scented geraniums (Pelargonium citrosum, normally usually referred to as Citrosa geranium), which have a lemony scent and make nice houseplants. Sadly, the citronella geranium wouldn’t repel mosquitoes.  True citronella crops are massive grasses rising as lots as 6ft tall and 4ft big and are unsuitable for lots of indoor progress for very extended. It does make for an beautiful patio plant as most individuals have sufficient house on their patio for a a lot greater species.