Madam KDD

🌱 Lemongrass vs Citronella Grass, Can You Tell the Difference?
They may look almost identical, but lemongrass and citronella grass are two different plants.

Here are a few easy ways to tell them apart:
🌿 1. Smell
Lemongrass has a fresh, lemony citrus aroma. Citronella grass has a stronger, more pungent citronella-like scent.
🌱 2. Leaf appearance
Citronella grass often has longer, more arching leaves, while lemongrass tends to form a denser clump with more upright leaves.
🔍 3. Base of the plant
Look closely at the stalks. Lemongrass usually develops thicker, more obvious bulb-like bases that are commonly used in cooking.
⚠️ 4. Don't rely on appearance alone
The two can look surprisingly similar, so smell and the shape of the stalk base are useful clues when identifying them.

Knowing the difference is especially important if you're growing them for cooking, gardening, or natural insect-repellent purposes.

🌿 Can you tell which one is which?

Don’t mistake these 3 variations!

They may look similar, but culinary lemongrass, citronella grass and geranium citronella serve very different purposes.

🍋 Lemongrass (Serai) — used in cooking, drinks, sauces, and traditional recipes. Can be eaten

🦟 Citronella grass (Serai Wangi) AND GERANIUM Citronella — mainly valued for its fragrant essential oil and insect-repellent properties, not as a culinary ingredient.

So before you harvest or use it in your kitchen… make sure you’ve got the right one! 👀🌱

This is where many people get confused! 👀

1. Lemon grass
2. Citronella
3. Geranium Citronella

But they’re not the same plant, and they have very different uses. 🌱
👉 Serai makan is commonly used in cooking.
👉 Serai wangi / citronella and geranium citronella used as aromatic oil infusions for insect repellent.

So before you add that “serai” to your dish… make sure you know which one you’re holding! 😅🌿

Did you know the difference?

🌸 Thinking about making a drink with bougainvillea? Be careful. ⚠️

You may have seen people using the colourful parts of bougainvillea to make herbal drinks or teas. But did you know those colourful “petals” aren’t actually the flowers? 👀

The bright purple, pink, red or orange parts are bracts modified leaves. The true flowers are the tiny, usually white or cream-coloured flowers found in the centre of the bracts. 🌿🤍

And before turning any part of the plant into a drink, there are important safety concerns:

⚠️ Allergies: Some people may experience irritation or allergic reactions when exposed to plants or plant preparations.

⚠️ Chemicals: Ornamental bougainvillea may have been treated with pesticides, insecticides or other garden chemicals.

⚠️ Not every plant is automatically safe to consume: Never assume that something is edible simply because it is used traditionally or by someone else.

👉 If you're considering making a bougainvillea drink, identify the plant correctly and make sure the plant material is actually suitable for consumption. If you're unsure, don't consume it.

🌸 Beautiful in the garden. But when it comes to your cup, know exactly what you're using.

Bougainvillea may look harmless, but its stems can produce a milky sap when cut or damaged. For some people, contact with the sap may cause skin irritation, itching, redness, or a rash.

🧤 If you're handling or preparing the plant:
• Wear gloves
• Avoid touching your eyes or face
• Wash your hands and skin after handling
• Keep plant material away from children and pets
• If irritation occurs, rinse the affected area thoroughly with water

A beautiful flower deserves careful handling. 🌺
⚠️
A V O I D using as a beverage or in culinary without testing. I prefer to avoid it as we cannot be asking everyone to test before consuming.
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