Common Name:

General Information

Cymbopogon pendulus is an erect, evergreen, clump-forming perennial grass producing robust culms up to 3 metres tall. The plant spreads slowly by means of short rhizomes to eventually produce large clumps[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials. This is one of the species that produce the widely used 'Lemongrass' essential oil - selected forms have been developed for cultivation in order to produce this oil[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - China (Yunnan), Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam

Habitat

Stream banks in China[]. Outside China it is found on dry, grassy hills at elevations up to 2,000 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Perennial
Height	2.50 m
Pollinators	Wind
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Species in this genus generally grow best in a sunny position in a moisture-retentive but well-drained soil. Many of them are found in dry soils in the wild[]. At least some cultivars can be grown on saline soils[].
This species is cultivated for its essential oil, there are some named varieties. The cultivar 'Praman' is suitable for growing on saline soils and can yield 245 kilos of oil per hectare[].
The plant is pleasantly lemon-scented[].
This species intergrades with Cymbopogon flexuosus and Cymbopogon khasianus, but it can usually be recognized by the relatively long, narrow, channeled lower glume of the sessile spikelet[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Lemongrass essential oil is an effective antifungal and antibacterial[]. The essential oil contains about 70% citral, plus citronellal - both of these are markedly sedative[]. Applied externally, it is a very effective treatment for a range of skin conditions including athlete's foot, ringworm, lice and scabies[]. It is also applied to ease the pain of arthritic joints[].

Other Uses

An essential oil obtained from the leaves is one of the source of 'Lemongrass Oil'. Some forms of the plant have a low content of citral in their essential oil and these are almost completely consumed locally. Other forms, such as the cultivar 'Praman', have been developed where the oil contains much higher levels of citral - up to 84% in the case of 'Praman'[]. Cultivars with a higher geraniol content than the best clones of Cymbopogon citratus have also been developed in India, there are also favourable hybrids with Cymbopogon khasianus and Cymbopogon flexuosus that are under trial[].
Lemongrass oil has a wide range of applications, being used in perfumery, scenting soaps, hair oils, cosmetics and as an insect repellent[, , ]. The oil consistis mainly of citral and is an important starting material in the perfumery industry for the production of 'ALPHA'- and 'BETA'-ionones, which in low concentrations have the odour of violets[]. It is also used in the synthesis of vitamin A[].

The leaves are used for thatching[].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow or only just cover, sowing the seeds in a nursery seedbed. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots at the 3 - 4 leaf stage and grow on until large enough to plant out. Seed can also be sown in situ, but this often results in heavy weed infestation[].
Division of established clumps. This is best done annually or they can become too crowded and suffer. The offshoots of this species often fail to establish[].

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