Lemongrass, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Lemongrass grows fast in Southwest Florida's heat, and a single clump supplies lemon-scented stalks for cooking and tea once it is established. It is best in a sunny kitchen garden or edible border, where a clump reaches 3 to 5 ft tall and about as wide. Frost burns the tops, but clumps usually regrow from the base in spring.
- Light:
- Full sun
- Water:
- Moderate; drought tolerant once established, with thicker stalks when watered regularly
- Salt:
- Low to moderate
Lemongrass
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Lemongrass sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Lemongrass | 3 Gallon |
Lemongrass in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 3 to 5 ft tall and 3 to 4 ft wide
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate; drought tolerant once established, with thicker stalks when watered regularly
- Salt tolerance
- Low to moderate
- Cold tolerance
- Leaves burn around 32°F and the clump dies back in a freeze, then regrows from the base in spring if the roots are mulched; coastal Lee and Collier is usually fine
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Spacing
- 3 to 4 ft apart for individual clumps; 2 to 3 ft for a row
- Florida native
- No, native to tropical Asia
- Botanical name
- Cymbopogon citratus
Where Lemongrass works in a SW Florida yard
Lemongrass makes a fine-textured, fountain-shaped clump in a sunny bed, at the back of a kitchen garden or as an edible border along a path. Plant it near the kitchen door where you can snip stalks, and pair it with pentas, blue porterweed and firebush for pollinator color.
Give each clump 3 to 4 ft, since it fills out quickly in our summers.
- Culinary herb garden
- Edible border grass
- Fragrant sunny accent
- Large container herb
How our crew plants it
Lemongrass wants the sunniest spot you have and loose, well-drained soil. We set the clump at the depth it grew in the pot, in a hole twice as wide, backfill with native soil, water in, and mulch two inches deep, leaving the base of the stalks clear.
Lee and Collier allow extra watering on new plantings, so use it for the first few weeks.
Care after planting
- Harvest by cutting or twisting stalks off at the base once they are about pencil-thick, and use the lower, pale part for cooking.
- Cut the whole clump back to 6 to 12 in in late winter to clear frost-burned or old growth before spring growth starts.
- Feed in spring with a slow-release fertilizer, skipping June 1 to September 30 in Lee County, Naples and Marco Island.
- Mulch the base before a forecast freeze so the crown stays protected.
What to watch for
- The leaf blades have sharp, saw-like edges that can cut skin, so wear gloves when dividing or cutting back.
Lemongrass questions we hear
Will lemongrass survive winter in Southwest Florida?+
Usually, yes. Leaves burn around 32°F and the clump can die back in a freeze, but it regrows from the base in spring if the roots did not freeze. Coastal Lee and Collier rarely have trouble. Inland, mulch the base and cover the clump on frost nights.
Does lemongrass repel mosquitoes?+
Not reliably. Crushed lemongrass leaves give off oils that mosquitoes dislike for a short time, but a clump in the yard does not keep them away. Plant it for cooking, tea and the scent, and rely on a proper repellent and standing-water control for mosquitoes.
How do I harvest and use lemongrass from my yard?+
Cut or twist off stalks at the base when they are about pencil-thick, then peel the tough outer layers and use the pale lower part, sliced or bruised, in soups, curries and tea. The green leaves make a mild tea. Harvest a few stalks at a time so the clump keeps growing.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Lemongrass
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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