Lemon Verbena Hydrosol

Many of our herbs are enjoying the heat of our summer. This morning was a quiet one so I decided that it was a good time to harvest some of our lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora). The lemon verbena was rinsed and lightly air-dried and set in my wooden bowl to be weighed. I had a little over six ounces of the fresh herb.

I love using my copper distiller to make hydrosols. After filling the distiller and turning on my stove, it was awhile before the hydrosol began dripping. The scent is wonderful and it is such a magical thing to watch. Lemon verbena hydrosol is said to be a powerful mental relaxant and stress buster. The essential oil is rare and very expensive. All of the scent of the herb is transferred into a liquid through the distillation process. The hydrosol is put into a sterilized container and refrigerated until needed.

My lemon verbena plant is still very full and healthy and I plan to dry some for teas and make Lemon Verbena Jelly with some more fresh leaves at a later date. There will still be more for making additional hydrosol before summer's end.