Pitiona Oaxaca Lemon Verbena, also known as Bushy Lippia and Licorice Verbena, is a part-shade loving small woody shrub native to Central and South America. A Verbenaceae family member, the Pitiona Oaxaca Lemon Verbena is related to Aztec Sweet Herb. It bears small, delightfully aromatic flower clusters with a sweet, lemony fragrance. The light-green, opposite leaves grow on sprawling, flexible branches that weave between themselves and grow quickly and vigorously. And talk about a star pollinator, the Pitiona Oaxaca Lemon Verbena brings all the butterflies and bees to the yard with its fragrant clusters of blossoms! To top it off, it’s an easy maintenance plant that makes a gorgeous hedge.
Long used in Central and South American traditional medicine, this is a great addition to your first-aid garden. Leaves and roots are used to make tea or syrup for cough relief and are said to relieve symptoms from anxiety to flatulence and hypertension. Pitiona Oaxaca Lemon Verbena bears sedative, astringent, expectorant, antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, granting it plenty of beneficial purposes. Some of the plant’s key terpene compounds include limonene, linalool, citrine, and myrcene which add to its healing properties. Pitiona Oaxaca Lemon Verbena has even been used as a seasoning in mole, soups, and vegetable dishes!