How to Grow Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
A fragrant tropical grass with bold culinary and tea uses — and easy to start from a grocery-store stalk.
By the Plants by Zone Editorial Team · Reviewed June 1, 2026
About lemongrass
Lemongrass is a fast-growing tropical grass prized for its intense citrus fragrance and the tender inner stalks that are central to Thai, Vietnamese, and Indian cooking. In zones 9–11 it grows as an ever-expanding perennial clump reaching 4–6 feet; everywhere else it thrives as an annual or lives in a container that comes indoors before frost. One of its greatest tricks is that you can start new plants for free by standing a few grocery-store stalks root-end down in a jar of water and watching roots emerge within a week or two.
When to plant and harvest lemongrass
Timing is relative to your frost dates. Find your USDA zone for exact dates, or browse the month-by-month calendars.
Start seeds indoors
Root grocery-store stalks in water 6–8 weeks before last frost, or start seed at 70°F 8–10 weeks before transplanting
Transplant outdoors
After last frost, once soil is reliably 60°F+
Direct sow
Not practical — start indoors or root fresh grocery-store stalks instead
Harvest
Harvest outer stalks from midsummer until frost in annual zones; year-round in zones 9–11
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How to grow lemongrass step by step
- 1
Root grocery-store lemongrass stalks: trim to 4–5 in, peel the outermost dry leaf, and stand them root-end down in 2 in of water in a sunny window. Change the water every few days; white roots emerge in 1–3 weeks.
- 2
Once roots are 1–2 in long, pot up in well-drained potting mix and grow in full sun until transplant time.
- 3
After the last frost and once soil is warm, transplant 24–36 in apart to allow for clump expansion.
- 4
Water regularly during establishment; mulch heavily to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
- 5
Feed with a balanced fertilizer monthly through the growing season — lemongrass is a hungry, fast-growing tropical grass.
- 6
In zones 8 and colder, pot up clumps in fall before frost and overwinter in a cool, bright room with minimal watering.
Common problems growing lemongrass
⚠ Slow growth or pale yellowing leaves
Almost always cold soil or insufficient sun — lemongrass needs warmth and full light. Feed with a nitrogen-forward fertilizer if growth is consistently slow.
⚠ Rust disease (orange-brown pustules on leaves)
Caused by overhead watering in humid weather — water at the base and space plants for airflow; remove and dispose of affected leaves.
⚠ Clump doesn’t return after winter
Lemongrass is not hardy below about 20°F. In zones 8 and colder, pot up the clump before frost and overwinter it indoors, watering sparingly until growth resumes in spring.
✓ Good companions for lemongrass
✗ Keep away from
🧺 Harvesting lemongrass
Harvest outer stalks once they are at least ½ in thick at the base by pulling firmly and twisting, or cutting at ground level with a sharp knife. Peel away the tough green outer layers to reveal the pale, aromatic lower stalk — the bottom 3–4 in is what recipes call for. The fibrous upper leaves and tops can be simmered for tea or stock. Always harvest from the outside of the clump, leaving the inner stalks to continue growing.
Lemongrass: frequently asked questions
When should you plant lemongrass?＋
In most regions you start seeds indoors root grocery-store stalks in water 6–8 weeks before last frost, or start seed at 70°F 8–10 weeks before transplanting, then transplant after last frost, once soil is reliably 60°F+. Timing is relative to your last frost, so find your USDA hardiness zone for the exact planting dates where you live.
Can I grow lemongrass from a grocery-store stalk?＋
Yes, easily and reliably. Stand fresh lemongrass stalks root-end down in a jar with a couple of inches of water in a sunny window, changing the water every few days. White roots appear within one to three weeks; once they're about an inch long, pot the stalks up in potting mix and grow them on before transplanting after frost.
Is lemongrass a perennial?＋
In frost-free zones 9–11 it is a long-lived perennial that forms ever-larger clumps. In colder regions it dies to the ground in frost — grow it as an annual, or dig and pot the clump before fall and overwinter it in a cool, bright room with very little water until growth picks up in spring.
Sources & review
Written and maintained by the Plants by Zone Editorial Team. Planting times are based on USDA hardiness zones and NOAA frost-date normals, with care guidance drawn from Cooperative Extension sources. Last reviewed June 1, 2026.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone MapNOAA U.S. climate normalsCooperative Extension
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See exactly when to plant and what else to grow alongside lemongrass, tailored to your USDA hardiness zone.
