Side by side · Cymbopogon citratus vs Cymbopogon nardus / winterianus
Same genus, different destinies. Every meaningful difference between the two grasses in one place, followed by a decision guide for choosing what to plant.
The full comparison
A field-by-field breakdown of the two plants as botany, as crops, and as household tools.
| Attribute | Lemongrass | Citronella grass |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Cymbopogon citratus (also C. flexuosus) | Cymbopogon nardus, Cymbopogon winterianus |
| Common names | Tanglad, serai, takhrai, sereh, fever grass | Citronella grass, mana grass, Maha Pengiri |
| Size | 0.9–1.8 m tall clumps; arching fine blades | 1.5–2.4 m tall clumps; broader, coarser blades |
| Signature look | Plump white-green stem bases like fat scallions | Tall canelike stems, often red-tinged (Java type) |
| Aroma when crushed | Clean, sweet lemon candy | Pungent lemon-must with rosy, resinous edge |
| Dominant compounds | Citral (geranial + neral) ~65–85% of oil | Citronellal ~35–45%, geraniol, citronellol (Java type) |
| Edible? | Yes — a staple food plant | No — considered non-culinary |
| Primary role | Soups, curries, teas, marinades, syrups | Insect-repellent essential oil production |
| Oil yield & use | Minor commercial oil (flavor/fragrance) | Major global oil crop — candles, sprays, soaps |
| Cold hardiness | Zones 10–11 perennial; mulch extends to 9b | Zones 10–12 perennial; slightly more frost-tender |
| Ease of propagation | Very easy — roots from store stalks, divides freely | By division or nursery stock; rarely sold edible-style |
| Garden aesthetics | Fountain-like clump, kitchen-garden friendly size | Dramatic tall screen; needs elbow room |
| Pet safety note | Tea/food generally benign; oils still keep away from pets | Oils irritating/harmful to cats & dogs if concentrated |
Decision guide
Honest answers by scenario — many growers end up wanting both.
Perfectly reasonable — their care is identical, so they thrive under the same routine. Give citronella the bigger pot or back-of-bed position and let lemongrass live near the kitchen door.
Lemongrass. It's smaller, faster to harvest, endlessly useful in the kitchen, and easier to overwinter on a windowsill.
If its label said Pelargonium citrosum, it's a scented geranium, not true citronella grass. It smells nice but repels little. For real effect, grow the grass and use distilled-oil products close to people.
Interactive tool
Answer honestly — the guide weighs your answers and points you at the right grass.
Frequently asked questions
The questions we hear most about these two grasses, answered once and properly.
Yes — siblings in the same genus. Both are Cymbopogon species in the grass family (Poaceae), which is exactly why they look similar and share citrusy aromas. But "related" doesn't mean "interchangeable": their essential-oil chemistry diverges enough that one became dinner and the other became pest control.
We advise against it. Citronella contains much less citral and far more citronellal and geraniol, giving a harsher, resinous, almost soapy flavor. It's also far more fibrous. There's no dish where citronella improves on lemongrass — use fresh, frozen, or dried lemongrass instead.
Both contain citral-family compounds, just at different ratios. Lemongrass oil is dominated by citral (pure lemon), while citronella oil leads with citronellal plus rose-scented geraniol — hence citronella's layered "lemon-rose-musk" character that reads as "lemongrass-ish" at first sniff but turns distinctly medicinal on longer contact.
No — and any product claiming that deserves skepticism. Research shows citronella reduces mosquito landings within roughly a meter of the source in calm air. Wind disperses the vapor quickly. Think of each candle as protecting a chair, not a property. Combine with standing-water control and, in disease-prone areas, EPA-registered repellents.
As a culinary infusion, lemongrass tea has centuries of safe traditional use and is enjoyed daily across Asia. That said, this site isn't medical advice: if you're pregnant, managing a condition, or taking medication, check with your clinician before making any herbal tea a daily ritual — especially concentrated extracts beyond normal food amounts.
Four tells: (1) stem bases — plump scallion-like = lemongrass, cane-like and woody = citronella; (2) height potential — citronella grows taller and broader; (3) smell — clean lemon candy vs pungent lemon-rose-musk; (4) label species names — citratus means kitchen, nardus/winterianus means oil crop.
Citronella oil shows some activity against flies, stable flies, and certain stored-product insects in studies, though performance varies. Gardeners also report that dense aromatic clumps may confuse some leaf-seeking insects — pleasant bonus, not a guarantee. Neither plant repels ticks meaningfully.
Lemongrass, hands down. You can start tonight with a supermarket stalk, watch roots appear in a glass of water within weeks, and be harvesting your own in a season. Citronella is equally hardy in the right climate but harder to source and only pays off if you'll actually use its oil.
Lemongrass feeds you all summer; a bottle of citronella oil guards the porch. Our guides cover both ends of that deal.