![citroen verbena.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmX2Hbxg6P6msCPrmeQod9uk6oYtLxPfkGMgpiyU7Mu8nW/citroen%20verbena.jpg)
Lemon verbena or Verveine

Verbena is a genus and a family name too; there are lots of( cultivated) plants in this genus but there is only one wild species – the Verbena officinalis;  which is not aromatic.

 In Holland we call this plant ‘Ijzerhard’ – this comes from German and has to do wit hits medical powers: in ancient times this herb was used to heal wounds from metal weapons and armour. 
Another purpose was the making of love potions: Ijzerhard or Verbena officinalis is a 'love plant'!

Lemon verbena though belongs to the familie Verbenaceae but not to the genus Verbena; it has a different name: lippia citriodora (there are more latin names known).
 In Holland and France (and i believe Germany too ) we call this one ‘Verveine’ – it makes a lovely tea; as you can see in the picture where i put it upside down to dry.


![PhotoGrid_1505145912891.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmT8GWMcsJbn8FgvcZ7biz4ASvx5pWQdaqW9YdG1jQbEbU/PhotoGrid_1505145912891.jpg)

 This lemon verbena is very aromatic, though the amount of essential oil that can be derived from the leaves by distillation, is very small. 

This makes verveine a costly oil that used to be bought by the perfume industry but since all that is synthesised nowadays this oil is very rare.
 There used to be some ‘synergetic distillations ’ in Holland and Vlaanderen  – meaning that there was mostly lemongrass in there, which is a much cheaper oil and all together a completely different one!

The message of this plant is: letting go of past situations and moving on to new.  Lemon verbena can give you the strenght to do that.

Its oil is very calming on the symphatic nerve system, like the melissa essential oil is too.

Lemon verbena is sometimes confused with Melissa (which is also an expensive oil). Melissa makes a good tea too but its oil is not so rare. You can buy it everywhere, if you can afford to. 

When studying for my aromatic professional education there used to be testers on all kinds of oil that are hard to get nowadays. I remember that i learned that this was a good oil to stop worrying, a ‘anti-piekerolie’ as i learned it. 

How wonderfull this worked for me! In those days i worked two jobs and went to school so there was a lot to ‘ponder about’. 
This oil silenced the voices in my head completely and gave my mind the blank that i needed to fall asleep. 
Ofcourse there are other oils at my disposal to attain this goal, in my practise, but i will never forget this one. ...... 

![PhotoGrid_1474873543520.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmconPUXGjEMXa8KGBqb1oFVQ42XTWrL71HXfgYE5EnuwY/PhotoGrid_1474873543520.jpg)
common Verbena officinalis

This #scentful herb is my entry to #SundayScentExperience

Would you like to join me for this challenge?

Then post on sundays a blog (with your own photo's - i only resteem #originalcontent) about something that smells good (or bad) and has a meaning to you - explain us why!

i resteem and upvote all entries and reward the best with some extra!

use the proper hashtag: #sundayscentexperience

(all pics are my own)

Steem on peeps!