Lemon Myrtle

Backhousia citriodora, commonly known as lemon myrtle, lemon scented myrtle or lemon scented ironwood, is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae, native to the subtropical rainforests of central and south-eastern Queensland, Australia, with a natural distribution from Mackay to Brisbane. The leaves are evergreen, opposite, lanceolate, glossy green, and the flowers are creamy-white, produced in clusters from summer through to autumn. Ferdinand von Mueller gave it its botanical name in 1853 after his friend, the English botanist James Backhouse. The common name reflects the strong lemon smell of the crushed leaves. Aboriginal Australians have long used lemon myrtle, both in cuisine and as a healing plant. Its oil has the highest citral purity, typically higher than lemongrass, and is considered to have a cleaner and sweeter aroma. The oil was found in 1925 to be significantly germicidal and was later shown to be antimicrobial. The plant is also used as a leaf spice, and myrtle rust is a threat to plantations.