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Useful Tropical Plants

Cymbopogon winterianus

Jowitt ex Bor

Poaceae


This species is very closely related to Ceylon citronella (Cymbopogon nardus), and the two species have sometimes been treated as different forms of the same species, as Cymbopogon nardus mahapengiri (this species) and Cymbopogon nardus lenabatu (Ceylon citronella)[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
,
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

+ Synonyms

Cymbopogon nardus mahapengiri (L.) Rendle

Common Name: Java Citronella

Cymbopogon winterianus
Growing plant
Photograph by: Leoadec
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

General Information

Cymbopogon winterianus is a robust, aromatic, evergreen, perennial, clump-forming grass with numerous erect culms arising from a short rhizome. The culms can be up to 2.5 metres tall[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The plant is often cultivated, mainly in Java and other parts of southeast Asia, for the essential oil contained in its leaves. This oil is widely used in the perfumery industry. This species yields up to twice as much essential oil as the related Cymbopogon nardus (which is grown mainly in Sri Lanka), and the oil is of better quality[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

266
Title
Flora of China
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis.
Year
1994
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.

Range

Only known from cultivation.

Habitat

Not known in a truly wild situation.

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height2.00 m
Cultivation StatusCultivated

Cultivation Details

A plant of the moist, lowland tropics, where it is found at elevations up to 1,000 metres. It grows best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 22 - 30°c, but can tolerate 16 - 36°c[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. It prefers a mean annual rainfall in the range 1,500 - 2,200mm, but tolerates 1,000 - 4,100mm[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
Grows best in a dry to moist, well-drained soil and a position in full sun[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Some forms of the plant can tolerate water-logging[
1385
Title
Promising Cultivars of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops and their Large Scale Propagation
Publication
National Exhibition & Seminar on Medicinal Plants & Herbal Products pp 55-64 No date given
Author
S. K. Kothari; K. P. Sastry; C. P. Singh; D. K. Rajput and B
Publisher
A.P. Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Board; Hyderabad, India
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
A Conference Paper, said to be from January 2006, but no date given on the Paper.
]. Prefers a pH in the range 5 - 6, tolerating 4.3 - 8[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
The first cutting is usually taken 180 - 270 days after planting, subsequent harvesting is done every 90 - 120 days and the crop last for 4 - 5 years, as yields steadily decline[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
].
Average yields of essential oil is usually between 45 - 110 kg/ha[
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. Cultivars have been developed in India with yields of up to 385 kilos per hectare[
1385
Title
Promising Cultivars of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops and their Large Scale Propagation
Publication
National Exhibition & Seminar on Medicinal Plants & Herbal Products pp 55-64 No date given
Author
S. K. Kothari; K. P. Sastry; C. P. Singh; D. K. Rajput and B
Publisher
A.P. Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Board; Hyderabad, India
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
A Conference Paper, said to be from January 2006, but no date given on the Paper.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

Poultices of the leaves are used to treat minor cuts and bruises[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Extracts (the essential oil or a tea?[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
]) are used as a vermifuge and treatment for internal disorders[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. They are mildly astringent and stomachic[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant is sometimes used to control erosion or to provide mulch[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Other Uses

An essential oil is extracted from the leaves[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
418
Title
Ecocrop
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
]. It is widely used in perfumery products and cosmetics, either directly or as a starting material for the production of other aroma compounds[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The complete oil is mainly used as an insect repellent for humans and pets and is used in soaps, detergents, household insecticides and technical products[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The leaves yield 0.25 - 1.3% citronella oil, which is an almost colourless or pale yellow liquid, with a fresh and sweet rosy top note, a body with notes of rose and lemon and a sweet, somewhat woody dry-out. It is free of the camphene-borneol notes characteristic of Ceylon citronella oil (Cymbopogon nardus)[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The major chemical components of the oil are citronellal, geraniol, elemol, geranyl acetate, limonene, 'BETA'-elemene, citronellyl acetate and eugenol[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The oil contains around 40% citronellal[
1385
Title
Promising Cultivars of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops and their Large Scale Propagation
Publication
National Exhibition & Seminar on Medicinal Plants & Herbal Products pp 55-64 No date given
Author
S. K. Kothari; K. P. Sastry; C. P. Singh; D. K. Rajput and B
Publisher
A.P. Medicinal & Aromatic Plants Board; Hyderabad, India
Year
2006
ISBN
 
Description
A Conference Paper, said to be from January 2006, but no date given on the Paper.
].

A preparation of crude citronella oil, mixed with the leaves of neem (Azadirachta indica) and the rhizomes of galangal (Alpinia galanga) is applied as a bio-insecticide in vegetable production and in citrus orchards[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Propagation

Seed - this is often not formed. Seedlings should not be used, other than in breeding programmes, since they are likely to be inferior to the parent plant in essential oil production.
Division of the clumps is very easy, with the divisions rooting quickly and forming new stems within a month[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-12-10. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cymbopogon+winterianus>

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