How to grow lemon myrtle in Australia

Lemon myrtle is frost-tender when young but hardier with age, and is planted in the warmer months.

Subtropical (Brisbane, northern NSW): The natural home. Plant spring or early autumn and it grows into the ground easily.

Tropical (Cairns, Darwin): Grows well through the warm season. Plant with the onset of reliable warmth and water.

Warm temperate (Sydney, Perth, Adelaide): Plant in spring in a warm, sheltered position. It performs well here once established, with frost protection for the first couple of winters.

Cool temperate (Melbourne): Workable in a warm microclimate or a pot. Plant in spring and protect young plants from frost.

Cold (Hobart, Canberra, alpine): Marginal in the ground. Grow in a container you can shelter over winter.

Arid (Alice Springs): Needs a sheltered spot with afternoon shade and reliable water. The dry heat is not its preference, but it can be grown with care.

Plant from a nursery specimen, either seed-grown or from cuttings. Choose a warm, sheltered spot with free-draining soil improved with compost, and plant at the same depth it sat in the pot. Water in well and mulch, keeping the mulch clear of the trunk.

Lemon myrtle is slow in its first year or two, so do not be alarmed if it takes its time. Feed with a native-safe or general slow-release fertiliser (avoid high-phosphorus feeds), keep young plants watered through summer, and protect from frost while they are small.

It makes an excellent pot plant while young, which is the usual approach in cooler districts, letting you move it to shelter over winter. Use a large pot and a free-draining mix, and clip it to keep it compact.

In the ground in a warm garden it can reach several metres, though it is easily kept to a dense shrub of two to three metres with regular tip pruning, which conveniently also gives you leaves to use. It makes a fragrant, glossy screen or feature tree.

Full sun to part shade suits it. In warm gardens it will take full sun once established, while in hot inland spots some afternoon shade keeps it looking its best. More sun generally means more of that aromatic oil in the leaf.

Water regularly through the warmer months, especially while young and in pots. Established plants have reasonable drought tolerance but produce better foliage with steady moisture. Good drainage is important, as it dislikes wet feet.

Leaves can be picked all year round once the plant is established. Take mature leaves as you need them, and use tip pruning as a chance to harvest, since regular clipping keeps the plant bushy and productive. Leaves dry beautifully and hold their aroma for a long time, so you can build a stock for tea and cooking.

Use leaves sparingly, as the flavour is powerful. A little goes a long way in tea, syrups, baking and savoury dishes.

The one problem to take seriously is myrtle rust, a fungal disease that attacks new growth on plants in the myrtle family, showing as bright yellow powdery pustules. Choose healthy stock, avoid wetting foliage late in the day, ensure good airflow, and remove and bag affected growth. In high-risk humid areas keep a close eye on soft new shoots.

Scale and sooty mould can appear but are easily managed with oil. Note the leaf is very high in essential oils, so keep concentrated lemon myrtle oil away from cats and birds, which are sensitive to essential oils, and mind the occasionally spiky leaf tips around small dogs.

As a small tree or shrub, lemon myrtle is generally grown as a feature or screen rather than interplanted, but it associates naturally with other rainforest and bush-food plants that enjoy similar warm, sheltered conditions. Underplant with low, shallow-rooted natives or herbs rather than anything that will compete hard at the trunk, and give it space and airflow to reduce rust risk.

Lemon myrtle is usually sold simply as the species, Backhousia citriodora, though nurseries occasionally offer compact or hedging selections chosen for denser growth. For culinary use the straight species is exactly what you want. Buy healthy, rust-free stock from a reputable nursery, ideally locally grown so it suits your conditions.

How do you use lemon myrtle leaves?

Fresh or dried, in tea, syrups, baking and savoury cooking. The flavour is intense, so use a little at a time. Dried leaves keep their aroma for months.

What is myrtle rust and should I worry?

It is a fungal disease affecting the myrtle family, seen as yellow powdery pustules on new growth. Choose healthy stock, keep foliage dry and airy, and remove affected shoots. It is the main health issue for lemon myrtle.

Is lemon myrtle slow to grow?

Yes, especially in the first year or two. Once established it is tough and long-lived, and regular tip pruning both keeps it bushy and gives you a steady supply of leaves.