Cardiovascular outcomes
Human and experimental research has examined lemongrass in relation to blood pressure and cardiovascular measures. Current evidence is not strong enough to present lemongrass tea as a treatment for hypertension.
Rootz Library • Botanical 02
Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
Citrusy • Fresh • GrassyExplore lemongrass benefits, lemongrass tea, how to prepare and use lemongrass, Caribbean fever grass traditions, modern research, preparation and safety.
Lemongrass At A Glance
What is lemongrass?
Lemongrass, sometimes written lemon grass, is Cymbopogon citratus, an aromatic perennial grass in the Poaceae family. Its long leaves and lower stalks release a distinctive citrus-like aroma and are used in food, drinks and herbal tea.
Botanical Name
Cymbopogon citratus
Family
Poaceae
Part Used
Leaves & stalks
Caribbean Name
Fever Grass
In RastaRoots
Roots Fire & Cool Mind
Lemongrass benefits, lemongrass tea and fever grass
Lemongrass is now cultivated across many tropical regions and is used in food, aromatic preparations and herbal infusions around the world.
In Caribbean communities, Cymbopogon citratus is widely associated with the traditional name fever grass and with household bush-tea culture.
Searches for “lemongrass benefits”, “lemongrass tea benefits”, “how to prepare lemongrass” and “how to use lemongrass” often mix culinary use, traditional practice, tea, extracts and essential oil.
The Rootz Library separates those preparations so traditional knowledge, modern research and unsupported claims are not treated as the same thing.
Explore Lemongrass
Inside Botanical 02
01 • Know The Grass
What exactly is lemongrass?
Lemongrass is a clump-forming, aromatic perennial grass recognised botanically as Cymbopogon citratus.
Its long leaves and pale lower stalks contain volatile aromatic compounds. Citral is strongly associated with the familiar lemon-like fragrance that gives the plant its common English name.
Lemongrass can be used fresh or dried. Different preparations include whole leaves, sliced stalks, herbal tea, culinary preparations, extracts and essential oil. These forms are not interchangeable.
Citrus without citrus — a tropical grass remembered by its aroma.
02 • Lemongrass Benefits
What are the benefits of lemongrass?
Lemongrass has an extensive history of traditional and culinary use. Modern researchers have investigated several biological and clinical outcomes, but evidence strength varies considerably.
Tea is not essential oil.
Studies involving concentrated extracts, essential oil, isolated citral, laboratory cells or animals cannot automatically be used to claim the same effect from drinking an ordinary cup of lemongrass tea.
Antimicrobial & inflammatory research
Lemongrass extracts, essential oils and isolated compounds have been investigated for antimicrobial and inflammatory activity. Much of this work remains laboratory or animal research.
Herbal tea & relaxation ritual
Lemongrass is widely enjoyed as a fragrant caffeine-free infusion. Its place in relaxation and evening traditions is culturally significant, but should not be converted into unsupported claims about treating anxiety or insomnia.
03 • Traditional Uses
How people have used lemongrass.
Lemongrass belongs to both food culture and plant tradition. These examples document how the plant has been used, rather than promising medical effects.
Lemongrass Tea
Fresh and dried lemongrass are commonly infused to make a fragrant, citrus-like herbal tea.
Culinary + TraditionalFood & Cooking
Lemongrass is used to flavour soups, curries, sauces, marinades and other dishes.
Culinary UseRest & Routine
Its clean citrus aroma has made lemongrass tea part of evening, social and relaxation rituals in many households.
Traditional UseFever Grass
In parts of the Caribbean, lemongrass is traditionally known as fever grass and has a long place within bush-tea culture.
Caribbean Tradition
Rootz Library principle:
A traditional plant name
or historical household use
does not itself prove
a clinical health effect.
Cultural knowledge
and medical evidence
should both be documented
accurately.
04 • Africa, Caribbean & Fever Grass
A travelled grass. A Caribbean tradition.
Lemongrass travelled far beyond its Asian botanical origins through cultivation, trade and human movement.
The plant became established throughout numerous tropical regions, including parts of Africa, Central and South America and the Caribbean.
Across Caribbean communities, Cymbopogon citratus became familiar as fever grass and as a household bush-tea ingredient.
That story matters: botanical origin and cultural belonging are not the same thing. A plant can travel and become deeply woven into the daily practices of another region.
Asian Origins
Lemongrass belongs to a broader tropical Asian botanical story.
Tropical Africa
Cultivation introduced lemongrass into numerous African food and plant traditions.
Caribbean
Tropical growing conditions helped lemongrass become established throughout the region.
Fever Grass
The name preserves part of the plant's Caribbean cultural history, without constituting proof of a medical effect.
05 • The Journey Of Lemongrass
A tropical grass. A global ritual.
Lemongrass moved beyond its original range through cultivation, trade and migration. Its history is best understood as a network of journeys rather than one single route.
Interpretive heritage overview. This image represents broad historical cultivation and cultural adoption, rather than one exact chronological migration route.
06 • Lemongrass Research Areas
Where researchers have looked.
These markers represent areas researchers have investigated. They do not represent body systems that lemongrass has been proven to treat.
Cardiovascular outcomes
Researchers have examined lemongrass, lemongrass tea and citral in relation to blood pressure and cardiovascular physiology.
Nervous system & aroma
Human and preclinical research has investigated lemongrass aroma, behavioural responses and anxiety-related outcomes. Aroma studies are not evidence about drinking lemongrass tea.
Antimicrobial & inflammatory research
Extracts, essential oils and isolated compounds have been investigated extensively in laboratory settings. These findings should not automatically be transferred to normal tea consumption.
07 • What Modern Research Says
Interesting research. Limited conclusions.
Lemongrass has extensive traditional use and substantial experimental research. Human clinical evidence remains much more limited for many popular lemongrass benefit claims.
Blood pressure
Small human studies have investigated lemongrass tea and cardiovascular measures. Current evidence does not justify replacing established blood-pressure treatment with lemongrass.
Relaxation & anxiety
Research involving lemongrass aroma has produced interesting findings, while evidence from oral preparations remains limited and preparation-dependent.
Antimicrobial activity
Essential oil and extracts have demonstrated activity in experimental settings. This does not establish equivalent antimicrobial effects from drinking an ordinary cup of lemongrass tea.
08 • Three Ways To Read The Evidence
Tradition. Science. The unknown.
The Rootz Library keeps these categories visible rather than blending them into one health claim.
What communities have done.
Lemongrass has long been brewed as an aromatic household tea and incorporated into Caribbean, African and Asian food and plant traditions.
What researchers have investigated.
Research has explored cardiovascular, antimicrobial, inflammatory and nervous-system outcomes using different lemongrass preparations.
What should not be overstated.
Current evidence does not justify presenting lemongrass tea as a proven treatment for fever, hypertension, infection, anxiety or other diseases.
09 • How To Prepare Lemongrass
How do you prepare and use lemongrass?
Preparation depends on whether lemongrass is being used for tea, cooking or another culinary purpose. Fresh and dried material behave differently.
Clean Lemongrass
Wash fresh stalks and leaves carefully before preparation. Remove dry or damaged outer material where needed.
Cut or Slice
For tea, fresh lemongrass can be cut into manageable pieces. For cooking, recipes may call for sliced, chopped or whole bruised stalks.
Release The Aroma
Lightly crushing or bruising the tougher stalk helps release the plant's citrus-like aromatic compounds.
Tea Or Food
Lemongrass can be used in herbal infusions, soups, curries, sauces, marinades and other culinary preparations.
Dried lemongrass:
Dried leaves
can generally be used
directly for herbal tea
without bruising.
Their flavour
and aroma
differ from fresh stalks.
10 • Lemongrass Tea
How to make lemongrass tea.
Lemongrass tea can be prepared from fresh stalks and leaves or from dried lemongrass. Traditional methods vary between households, communities and regions.
Simple lemongrass tea
Wash and cut fresh lemongrass, or prepare clean dried leaves.
If using fresh stalks, lightly bruise or crush them to release more of their citrus aroma.
Place the lemongrass in a heat-safe cup or pot and cover with freshly boiled water.
Allow the infusion to develop until the aroma and flavour reach the strength you prefer.
Step 01 • Prepare
Wash
and cut fresh lemongrass,
or prepare dried leaves.
Step 02 • Bruise
Lightly bruise
fresh stalks
to release
more aroma.
Step 03 • Infuse
Cover the lemongrass
with freshly boiled water.
Step 04 • Taste
Allow the citrus aroma
and flavour
to develop
to your preferred strength.
11 • Lemongrass Safety & Side Effects
Tea, extract and essential oil are not the same.
Preparation and concentration matter.
Culinary lemongrass, an ordinary water infusion, concentrated extracts and lemongrass essential oil represent very different preparations and levels of exposure.
Laboratory findings involving concentrated essential oil should not be interpreted as evidence that drinking ordinary lemongrass tea produces the same effect.
Essential oils should not be treated as interchangeable with herbal tea. Concentrated products can carry different safety considerations.
Herbal products may interact with medicines, and individual sensitivity varies.
If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, preparing for surgery or managing a medical condition, speak with an appropriate healthcare professional before using concentrated herbal preparations.
The Rootz Library is educational and does not diagnose, treat or replace medical advice.
12 • Questions People Ask About Lemongrass
Lemongrass questions, answered clearly.
Practical answers about lemongrass, lemon grass, fever grass, preparation, tea and safety.
What is lemongrass?
Lemongrass is
Cymbopogon citratus,
an aromatic perennial grass
in the Poaceae family.
Its leaves
and lower stalks
are widely used
in cooking,
drinks
and herbal infusions.
Is lemon grass the same as lemongrass?
Yes.
“Lemongrass”
is the standard spelling,
while “lemon grass”
is also frequently used
in everyday searches
and writing.
This page refers specifically
to
Cymbopogon citratus.
What are the benefits of lemongrass?
Lemongrass has
extensive traditional use
and researchers
have investigated
cardiovascular,
antimicrobial,
inflammatory
and nervous-system outcomes.
Much of the broader evidence
involves extracts,
essential oils,
animals
or laboratory research,
so specific medical benefits
from ordinary lemongrass tea
should not be overstated.
What are lemongrass tea benefits?
Lemongrass tea
is an aromatic,
naturally caffeine-free
herbal infusion.
Human research
has investigated
some outcomes,
including cardiovascular measures,
but evidence remains limited.
Research involving
extracts
or essential oils
should not automatically
be applied
to ordinary lemongrass tea.
What is lemongrass tea good for?
Traditionally,
lemongrass tea
has been used
as an aromatic
household infusion
across many cultures.
Modern research
has investigated
several possible effects,
but current evidence
does not establish
lemongrass tea
as a treatment
for disease.
Is lemongrass the same as fever grass?
In many Caribbean communities,
Cymbopogon citratus
is commonly called
fever grass.
The traditional name
is culturally important,
but it does not itself prove
that lemongrass
treats fever.
How do you prepare lemongrass?
Wash fresh lemongrass,
remove damaged
or very dry outer material,
cut it into manageable pieces
and lightly bruise
the stalk
if you want
to release more aroma.
Dried lemongrass leaves
can generally be used
directly in herbal infusions.
How do you use lemongrass?
Lemongrass can be used
for herbal tea
and in soups,
curries,
marinades,
sauces
and other culinary preparations.
Tough stalks
may be bruised
for flavour
and removed
before serving,
depending on the recipe.
How do you cook with lemongrass?
Fresh lemongrass
can be trimmed,
sliced,
finely chopped
or bruised,
depending on the dish.
The tender inner section
is often used
when finely slicing,
while tougher stalks
may be bruised
and simmered
to release flavour
before being removed.
How do you make lemongrass tea?
Cut
or lightly bruise
fresh lemongrass,
or use dried leaves.
Place it
in a heat-safe cup
or pot,
cover with freshly boiled water
and allow
the citrus aroma
and flavour
to develop.
Can you use dried lemongrass for tea?
Yes.
Clean dried lemongrass
is widely used
for herbal infusions.
Its flavour profile
differs somewhat
from fresh stalks,
but both forms
can produce
a recognisable
citrus-grass aroma.
Where does lemongrass come from?
Lemongrass has
tropical Asian
botanical origins
and has been introduced
and cultivated
throughout numerous
tropical regions,
including Africa
and the Caribbean.
Is lemongrass tea the same as lemongrass essential oil?
No.
Lemongrass tea
is a water-based infusion.
Lemongrass essential oil
is a highly concentrated
aromatic preparation.
Their concentrations,
uses
and safety considerations
are very different.
Can lemongrass cause side effects?
Individual tolerance
varies,
and concentrated products
should not be treated
as equivalent
to culinary use
or ordinary tea.
Anyone who is pregnant,
breastfeeding,
taking medication
or managing
a medical condition
should seek
appropriate professional advice
before using concentrated
herbal products.
Is there a best time to drink lemongrass tea?
There is no
well-established universal
time of day
at which ordinary
lemongrass tea
has been shown
to provide
greater general health benefit.
Timing is mainly
a matter of
personal preference,
tolerance
and ritual.
13 • Lemongrass In RastaRoots
Brightening two rituals.
In RastaRoots, lemongrass is used for its citrus aroma, clean finish and ability to lift other botanicals.
Roots Fire
Lemongrass sits alongside ginger and mint, adding bright citrus freshness to the warmer aromatic profile.
Explore Roots Fire →Cool Mind
Lemongrass adds a clean, grassy citrus lift to the softer character of the blend.
Explore Cool Mind →
Rootz Ritual Guide • Premium
Take lemongrass from knowledge into ritual.
The future Lemongrass Rootz Ritual Guide will go deeper than the free botanical entry with preparation, flavour, culture, evidence and practical ritual.
Preparation
Fresh stalk,
dried leaf,
hot
and cold approaches.
Ratios & Strength
How quantity
and steeping
influence flavour.
Timing
Practical timing
without inventing
unsupported health claims.
Fever Grass Heritage
A deeper Caribbean
cultural history
of the plant.
Recipes
Hot,
iced
and culturally inspired
lemongrass drinks.
Botanical Pairing
Ginger,
mint
and complementary
flavour relationships.
Evidence Guide
Human,
animal
and laboratory evidence
separated clearly.
Safety
Tea,
extract
and essential-oil differences
explained.
Rootz standard:
The guide will not claim
that “fever grass”
treats fever
simply because
the traditional name exists.
Tradition will be preserved
while health claims
remain evidence-led.
Lemongrass Rootz Ritual Guide • Coming Soon
Free Rootz Library Membership
Learn it. Test it. Keep it.
Join free to unlock downloadable Field Guides, the Lemongrass knowledge check, Rootz Points and your progression through the Herbal Library.
Join The Rootz LibraryMember Archive
Take the knowledge with you.
Field Guide 001
Explore the first eight botanicals behind the RastaRoots Discovery Collection.
Download PDF →Lemongrass Field Sheet
Printable botanical identity, heritage, evidence and safety reference.
In DevelopmentJourney Of Lemongrass
Downloadable edition of the Lemongrass heritage journey map.
In DevelopmentLemongrass Ritual Card
Printable tasting and preparation ritual.
In DevelopmentTest Your Rootz
How much did you take in?
Complete the Lemongrass knowledge check. Score at least 4 out of 5 to complete Botanical 02 and earn 25 Rootz Points.
Your Rootz Journey
Seed
0 Rootz Points
Lemongrass knowledge complete.
+25 Rootz PointsYour Rootz Journey
The Rootz Elder Programme
Knowledge. Contribution. Community. Complete botanical entries, earn Rootz Points and build your journey through the Herbal Library.
Seed
0–99 points
Root
100–249 points
Cultivator
250–499 points
Guardian
500–999 points
Rootz Elder
1,000+ points
14 • Sources & Further Reading
Follow the evidence.
Rootz Library entries evolve as stronger evidence and better historical documentation become available.
Plants of the World Online: Cymbopogon citratus. Botanical identity and distribution. View source
Caribbean ethnobotanical research documenting traditional plant use in Trinidad. View source
Review examining ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and biological activity of Cymbopogon citratus. View source
Review examining lemongrass, citral and cardiovascular research, including available human evidence and limitations. View source
Controlled research investigating possible hypnotic and anxiety-related effects of an oral lemongrass preparation. View source
RastaRoots Herbal Library • Field Entry 002
Published 10 August 2026. Last updated 14 August 2026. This page separates traditional use, modern research and unsupported claims. Educational content only.
Published 10 August 2026. Last updated 14 August 2026. This page separates traditional use, modern research and unsupported claims. Educational content only.