Cymbopogon, commonly known as lemongrass is a genus of Asian, African, Australian, and tropical island plants in the grass family.
Culinary use
Lemongrass is widely used as a culinary herb in Asian cuisine and also as medicinal herb in India. It has a subtle citrus flavor and can be dried and powdered, or used fresh.
Insect repellent
Citronella grass (Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon winterianus) grow to about 2 m (6.6 ft) and have magenta-colored base stems. These species are used for the production of citronella oil, which is used in soaps, as an insect repellent (especially mosquitoes).
Citronella can be planted in home gardens to ward off insects such as whitefly adults. Its cultivation enables growing some vegetables (e.g. tomatoes and broccoli) without applying pesticides. Intercropping should include physical barriers, for citronella roots can take over the field.
Lemongrass as a living fence:
Video by Mark Abbott-Compton:
References:
Cymbopogon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://buff.ly/1ktQvbj
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