Lemon Verbena for Confidence

Lemon verbena, Aloysia triphylla

Lemon verbena’s message is confidence. The leaves, when crushed between the fingers, release a sweet, clean, floral scent that has been called “pure optimism.” The same aroma is created by placing fresh or dried leaves in a pot and pouring hot water over them. Cover for a few minutes and then sip the lovely tea. We can try this tea or just think of lemon verbena growing in the Memoir Garden when we need that extra bit of confidence in our work.

Lemon verbena is a deciduous perennial shrub that originated in Central and South America where it is known as Hierba Luisa, named in honor of Maria Luisa Teresa de Parma, wife of King Carlos IV of Spain. This lovely herb made its way to Europe by Spanish explorers.

Verbena means “leafy branch.” It will grow tall and spindly unless pinched back. Then it becomes bushy and strong. When writing a memoir, lemon verbena provides confidence to pinch back our words, to edit our writing to create a more powerful personal narrative.

Friends in Southern California introduced me to this plant many years ago. Knowing I love tea, they stepped outside their kitchen door, picked a few leaves, and brewed my after-dinner treat. Now, verbena grows well by my garden path. I love rubbing my hands over its leaves and smelling the delicate but citrusy scent as I walk on to my destination. We’ve planted it also in our Memoir Garden and harvest its leaves whenever our confidence is lagging. Writing a memoir is difficult work and there are always days when we’re not sure we have what it takes to complete the task. That’s when we imagine the lovely lemon verbena’s scent and soak up its optimism and confidence.

Visit our Writer’s Store with its products for encouragement and sharing that feature many of the herbs from our Memoir Garden.