About this variety
Tall arching clumps that smell unmistakably of lemon sherbet when crushed. 'East Indian' is the variety to grow from seed, prized for an exceptionally high citral content — the oil that gives the deep authentic lemon aroma behind a proper Thai curry paste.
The thickened stem bases are what most recipes want, harvested once they reach a centimetre or two across. But the leaves are just as useful, snipped at any point through the season and steeped for tea.
It is genuinely tender and hates frost, so it lives outdoors only from June and comes back under cover before autumn. Bring the pot into a conservatory over winter and you can divide the clump in spring, which means one packet can keep you supplied for years. Wear gloves when harvesting — the leaf edges are fine and sharp and will cut you like paper.