Cymbopogon

Cymbopogon is a genus of grasses native to Asia, Africa, Australia, and various tropical islands. It goes by many common names, including lemongrass, barbed wire grass, silky heads, oily heads, Cochin grass, Malabar grass, citronella grass, and fever grass.

Several species—most notably Cymbopogon citratus—are grown as culinary and medicinal herbs, prized for their lemony scent. The genus name comes from the Greek words kymbe (boat) and pogon (beard), referring to the hairy spikelets that emerge from boat-shaped spathes in most species. Lemongrass and its oil are thought to have therapeutic properties.

Uses

Citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon winterianus) can reach about two meters in height and has stem bases that are typically green to reddish, not consistently magenta. These species are used to produce citronella oil, which appears in soaps, insect repellents (especially against mosquitoes and houseflies), insect sprays, candles, and aromatherapy products. The oil’s main chemical components, geraniol and citronellol, are antiseptic, so they are also found in household disinfectants and soaps. Unlike culinary lemongrass, citronella grass is not typically used as a flavoring due to its strong, bitter taste.

Culinary

East Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), also called Cochin grass or Malabar grass, is native to southern India and Sri Lanka, though it is widely cultivated in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and other parts of India. West Indian lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) comes from maritime Southeast Asia. While the two can be used interchangeably in cooking, C. citratus is preferred for culinary purposes. Lemongrass oil has a fresh, sweet, lemon-like, grassy, green, and citrus aroma.

Folk medicine

In India, C. citratus is used as a medicinal herb and in perfumes. In Brazilian folk medicine, it is consumed as a tea for anxiety, though a human study found no effect; one case reported that the tea triggered a recurrence of contact dermatitis. In Samoa and Tonga, mashed leaves of C. citratus (called moegalo and moengālō, respectively) are used as a traditional remedy for oral infections.

FDA classification

The United States Food and Drug Administration has declared lemongrass essential oil generally recognized as safe in food.

In Hoodoo folk magic, lemongrass is the main ingredient in van van oil, a popular conjure oil.