Botanical name: Backhousia citrodora
Other names: Lemon Ironwood, Sweet Verbena Tree
Family: Myrtaceae
Part used: leaf
Action (karma): astringent, antiseptic, antioxidant, expectorant, antiviral, antifungal, calmative.
Dose: 1/2 teaspoon infused in a cup of boiled water.
Can be added to any herbal tea to enhance the flavor.
 
Strong sweet lemon flavored leaves that makes a refreshing and calmative tea. Good for respiratory ailments. Helps with cough, cold and other respiratory ailments, sinus and stress. The tea may also bring a feeling of well being. Can be used in cooking as a lemon bush food spice. A true-blue Australian rainforest tree (ours comes from the Sunshine Coast Hinterland in Queensland), a magnificent upright evergreen from 5 – 20 meters tall. Five-petaled, star-shaped white flowers are 6 mm in diameter, grouped together in clusters, each bunch looking like a dainty posie.
 
Ref: ‘Ayurvedic Medicine by Sebastian Pole; ‘Ayurvedic Pharmacology & Therapeutic Uses of Medicinal Plants’ by Vaidya V.M. Gogte; ‘Yogi of Herbs’ by V. Lad & D. Frawley; ‘Herbs Are Special’ by Isabel Shipard.