What is the history of lemongrass?

Answer 1

Lemongrass (cymbopogon) is a naturally occurring oily herb, native to Asia. Used in cooking and herbal medicine for at least 5000 years, it has been cultivated all over Southeast Asia for at least 2000 years.

Answer 2

Most of the species of lemon grass are native to South Asia, South-East Asia and Australia.

Lemongrass was reportedly being distilled for export as early as the 17th century in the Philippines. It has been a favorite oil in India for hundreds of years and is known locally as choomana poolu, which refers to the plant’s red grass stems. Lemongrass was introduced to Jamaica in 1799. Indigenous Australians used lemongrass leaves for a drink and applied it to sore eyes, cuts, and skin conditions as a wash.

In 1905 a Sri Lankan researcher, Mr. J.F Jovit, had acquired several plants of “Kochin Sera” from the south India and had planted them at Bandarawela Farm for research purposes. Lemongrass was introduced to Haiti and and the United States in 1917. First commercial cultivation of lemon grass was reported in Florida and Haiti in 1947. The first samples of the closely related citronella oil were displayed at the World’s Fair at London’s Crystal Palace in 1951.

Today, lemongrass is grown commercially in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and China.