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Lemon verbena

Lemon verbena suppliers and sourcing guide

Lemon verbena is Aloysia citrodora (syn. Lippia citriodora), a South American shrub grown in Morocco, southern Europe and South America for its lemon-scented leaves. The leaves are dried for herbal teas and powders, extracted with water or water-ethanol, or steam distilled for essential oil. Supplement extracts are often standardized to verbascoside (acteoside) by HPLC.

See suppliersWhat to ask for on the COA
Also known as
Aloysia citrodora · Lippia citriodora · Aloysia triphylla · Verbenae citriodorae folium · hierba luisa
Facts checked
November 2026

Forms and grades of lemon verbena

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

  • Cut and sifted leaf

    Dried leaf cut to a tea grade, sold by cut size and aroma.

  • Leaf powder

    Milled dried leaf for capsules and blends.

  • Standardized leaf extract

    Water or hydroalcoholic extract sold with a minimum percentage of verbascoside by HPLC.

  • Essential oil

    Steam-distilled leaf oil for flavor and fragrance; expensive and frequently adulterated.

  • Organic

    Leaf or extract from certified organic crops, with the certificate tied to the lot.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Identity (HPTLC or HPLC)
Chromatographic fingerprint to confirm Aloysia citrodora leaf and flag lemon balm, lemongrass or other lemon-scented herbs.
Verbascoside assay (HPLC)
Verbascoside content for standardized extracts, by a named HPLC method.
Volatile oil
Volatile oil content by hydrodistillation for leaf, or GC profile (citral, limonene) for essential oil.
Heavy metals
Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS, checked against the buyer's limits and any Prop 65 exposure targets.
Microbiology
Total plate count, yeast and mold, E. coli or coliforms, and Salmonella.
Pesticide residues
Multi-residue pesticide screen, required for organic claims and commonly requested for conventional material.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Keep dried herb and powder sealed in lined bags or drums in a cool, dry, dark place; cut herb loses aroma and color with light and air, and powder picks up moisture once opened. Dry extracts are hygroscopic, so reseal opened containers promptly. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification.

Lots and expiry dates

Aroma, volatile oil and verbascoside levels vary with harvest and drying, so check each lot's COA against your specification. Record the supplier lot and origin, and rotate stock first-expiry-first-out.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

  • 21 CFR 172.510 lists lemon-verbena (Lippia citriodora HBK) among natural flavoring substances and adjuvants permitted in food under that section's conditions; check the section for any limitation on this entry.

    Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)

  • FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists lemon-verbena (Lippia citriodora HBK.) with the technical effect flavoring agent or adjuvant.

    Source: hfpappexternal.fda.gov (opens in a new tab)

  • The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Lippia triphylla (POL-NF-00478) lists a non-concentrated aqueous infusion of the leaves as not novel in food, and the leaves, flowers and essential oil as not novel in food supplements.

    Source: ec.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)

  • The European Medicines Agency's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products has a European Union herbal monograph for lemon verbena leaf (Aloysia citrodora).

    Source: ema.europa.eu (opens in a new tab)

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.

Lemon verbena suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking lemon verbena suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

Sell lemon verbena? Request a listing

Frequently asked questions

What forms of lemon verbena can brands buy?

Common forms include cut and sifted leaf, leaf powder, standardized leaf extract, essential oil and organic. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for lemon verbena include?

Expect identity (HPTLC or HPLC), verbascoside assay (HPLC), volatile oil, heavy metals, microbiology and pesticide residues, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should lemon verbena be stored?

Keep dried herb and powder sealed in lined bags or drums in a cool, dry, dark place; cut herb loses aroma and color with light and air, and powder picks up moisture once opened. Dry extracts are hygroscopic, so reseal opened containers promptly. Shelf life or a retest date comes from the supplier's specification.

What is the regulatory status of lemon verbena?

21 CFR 172.510 lists lemon-verbena (Lippia citriodora HBK) among natural flavoring substances and adjuvants permitted in food under that section's conditions; check the section for any limitation on this entry. FDA's Substances Added to Food inventory lists lemon-verbena (Lippia citriodora HBK.) with the technical effect flavoring agent or adjuvant. The EU Novel Food status Catalogue entry for Lippia triphylla (POL-NF-00478) lists a non-concentrated aqueous infusion of the leaves as not novel in food, and the leaves, flowers and essential oil as not novel in food supplements. The European Medicines Agency's Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products has a European Union herbal monograph for lemon verbena leaf (Aloysia citrodora).

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