Herbal Infusions
Lemongrass leaves are widely brewed as an aromatic herbal tea, valued for their fresh citrus fragrance and clean flavour.
Culinary + Traditional
Rootz Library • Botanical 02
Lemongrass
Cymbopogon citratus
Citrusy • Fresh • GrassyBright, aromatic and unmistakably fresh. Lemongrass is a tropical perennial grass prized for its citrus-like aroma and used in food, tea and plant traditions across South Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and many other tropical regions.
Lemongrass At A Glance
What is lemongrass?
Lemongrass is Cymbopogon citratus, an aromatic perennial grass belonging to the Poaceae family.
Botanical Name
Cymbopogon citratus
Family
Poaceae
Part Used
Leaves & stalks
Character
Citrusy, fresh, grassy
In RastaRoots
Roots Fire & Cool Mind
Lemongrass in tradition and modern research
Lemongrass is native to South India and Sri Lanka but is now cultivated widely across tropical regions. Its leaves are commonly used to create aromatic infusions and flavour food. Traditional uses are extensive, particularly across tropical communities, while modern human clinical research remains much more limited than the traditional record.
Explore Botanical 02
Inside the Lemongrass Field Entry
Rootz Library Member Entry
The deeper story lives inside.
Join the Rootz Library free to unlock Lemongrass's heritage journey, research guide, preparation, Rootz Ritual, Field Archive and Rootz knowledge programme.
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01 • Know The Grass
What exactly is lemongrass?
Lemongrass is a perennial aromatic grass in the Poaceae family. It grows in dense clumps of long, narrow leaves rising from pale green basal stalks.
The plant's distinctive aroma comes from volatile compounds, particularly citral, which contribute its bright lemon-like fragrance.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew recognises Cymbopogon citratus as an accepted species native to South India and Sri Lanka.
Lemongrass carries citrus without being citrus — a grass transformed by aroma.
02 • Traditional Uses Of Lemongrass
Why people brew lemongrass.
These categories describe culinary, household or traditional uses. They should not be read as promises that lemongrass prevents, treats or cures disease.
Digestive Traditions
Lemongrass appears in traditional preparations associated with digestion and stomach comfort in several regions.
Traditional UseRest & Relaxation
Lemongrass tea is often consumed as a gentle evening or calming drink within household traditions. That traditional reputation should not be confused with proven treatment for anxiety or sleep disorders.
Traditional UseFever-Grass Traditions
Across parts of the Caribbean, lemongrass is also known as fever grass and appears in household bush-tea traditions.
Caribbean Tradition
Rootz Library principle:
Widespread traditional use is culturally
important evidence of how communities
have understood a plant.
It is not automatically the same thing
as clinical proof of a medical effect.
03 • African & Caribbean Heritage
From tropical grass to household tea.
Cymbopogon citratus is native to South India and Sri Lanka, but it has been introduced widely across the tropical world.
It became established in regions of Africa, Central and South America and throughout the Caribbean, where warm climates support its vigorous growth.
In Caribbean herbal traditions, lemongrass — often called fever grass — became a familiar household plant brewed as bush tea. Ethnobotanical research from Trinidad records Cymbopogon citratus among frequently cited medicinal plants.
South Asian Roots
Kew records South India and Sri Lanka as the plant's native range.
Tropical Africa
Lemongrass became cultivated across many tropical African countries, entering food and household plant traditions.
Caribbean
The plant became established across numerous Caribbean islands and is strongly associated with household bush teas.
Jamaica
Lemongrass is established in Jamaica and forms part of wider Caribbean fever-grass and tea traditions.
04 • The Journey Of Lemongrass
A tropical grass. A global ritual.
Lemongrass moved far beyond its South Asian native range through cultivation, commerce and human migration. Its story is therefore a network of journeys rather than one simple historical route.
Interpretive heritage overview. This map illustrates broad patterns of cultivation and cultural adoption rather than one definitive chronological route.
05 • Lemongrass Research Areas
Where researchers have looked.
Lemongrass research spans laboratory, animal and human studies. These areas show what has been investigated, not conditions that lemongrass has been proven to treat.
Cardiovascular research
Lemongrass and its constituents have been investigated in relation to blood pressure and cardiovascular markers. Human evidence remains limited.
Nervous system & behaviour
Laboratory and preclinical studies have examined effects related to the nervous system, relaxation and behaviour. These findings should not be interpreted as clinical proof.
Antimicrobial & inflammatory research
Extracts and lemongrass essential oil have been widely investigated in laboratory research. Laboratory activity does not automatically predict an effect from drinking lemongrass tea.
06 • What Modern Research Says
Interesting research. Limited conclusions.
Lemongrass has a substantial traditional-use record and considerable laboratory research. Human clinical evidence, however, remains comparatively limited.
Blood pressure
Cardiovascular effects of lemongrass and citral have been investigated, but reviews note that this area has not yet been thoroughly studied in humans.
Inflammation & oxidative stress
Laboratory and animal research has examined several biological mechanisms. That is not equivalent to demonstrating a clinical benefit from ordinary lemongrass tea.
Antimicrobial activity
Lemongrass essential oil and extracts show activity against microorganisms in experimental settings. Concentrated oils are very different from a brewed leaf infusion.
Human research limited
Some human investigation exists, but the evidence base is not yet extensive.
Mostly preclinical
Evidence comes mainly from laboratory or animal research.
Preparation matters
Essential oil, extracts and ordinary tea cannot be treated as interchangeable.
07 • Three Lenses
Tradition. Evidence. Ritual.
Each tells us something different.
What communities have done.
Caribbean, African and Asian communities have used lemongrass in food, aromatic drinks and household plant traditions.
- Bush teas
- Fever-grass traditions
- Culinary use
- Aromatic household preparations
What research asks.
Modern studies examine specific extracts, essential oils, preparations, doses and outcomes.
- Preparation matters
- Human data matters
- Dose matters
- Laboratory findings have limits
How we bring it into the cup.
In RastaRoots, lemongrass is valued for its citrus aroma, clean finish and ability to brighten a herbal blend.
- Know the grass
- Respect its history
- Understand the flavour
- Brew with intention
08 • How Lemongrass Is Prepared
One grass. Different expressions.
Fresh Stalks
Fresh stalks may be sliced, bruised or chopped to release their citrus aroma.
Dried Leaves
Dried lemongrass is convenient for tea blending and retains a recognisable citrus-grass character.
Lemongrass Tea
Leaves and stalks can be steeped as a standalone infusion or combined with other botanicals.
Culinary Use
Lemongrass is widely used to flavour broths, sauces, curries, drinks and aromatic dishes.
09 • The Rootz Ritual
Freshness belongs in the cup.
A Simple Lemongrass Ritual
Cut or gently bruise fresh lemongrass stalks, or use dried leaves. Cover with freshly boiled water and allow the infusion to release its citrus aroma.
Before drinking, notice how the fragrance reaches you before the flavour. Sip slowly and let the clean finish develop across the cup.
Explore The Tea Ritual
Step 01
Cut or bruise the lemongrass.
Step 02
Steep and release the aroma.
Step 03
Smell first.
Sip second.
10 • Lemongrass In RastaRoots
Brightening two rituals.
In the RastaRoots blends, lemongrass is used for freshness, citrus aroma and a clean herbal finish.
Roots Fire
Lemongrass works alongside ginger and mint, bringing bright citrus freshness into a warmer aromatic profile.
Explore Roots Fire →Cool Mind
Lemongrass adds a clean, grassy citrus lift that complements the cooling character of the blend.
Explore Cool Mind →11 • Watch The Story
The Rootz Botanical Series.
▶
Lemongrass Film • Coming Soon
Lemongrass: The Grass That Became Tea
Future Rootz Botanical films will bring together plant history, Caribbean context, flavour, founder storytelling and research.
This space is already prepared for the final Lemongrass film.
12 • The Field 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 identity, heritage, evidence, preparation and safety guide.
In DevelopmentJourney Of Lemongrass
A downloadable edition of the Lemongrass heritage journey map.
In DevelopmentLemongrass Ritual Card
A simple printable preparation and tasting ritual.
In Development13 • Lemongrass Safety
Tea, extract and essential oil are not the same thing.
Preparation matters.
Culinary lemongrass, ordinary herbal infusions, concentrated extracts and essential oil are different preparations and should not be treated as interchangeable.
Much of the laboratory research on lemongrass uses extracts or essential oil at concentrations very different from those found in a normal cup of tea.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, preparing for surgery or managing a medical condition, speak to an appropriate healthcare professional before using concentrated herbal preparations or essential oils.
Essential oils should not be casually swallowed simply because the source plant is used as food or tea.
The Rootz Library is educational and does not diagnose, treat or replace medical advice.
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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, family, native range and global distribution. View source
Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants in Trinidad, including frequent citation of Cymbopogon citratus. View source
Review of the ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and biological activities of Cymbopogon citratus, including limitations in human pharmacokinetic evidence. View source
Review examining the potential antihypertensive research relating to lemongrass and citral, while noting that the area remains insufficiently studied. View source
RastaRoots Herbal Library • Field Entry 002
Published 10 August 2026. Reviewed and updated as new evidence and historical documentation become available. Educational content only.
Published 10 August 2026. Reviewed and updated as new evidence and historical documentation become available. Educational content only.