Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus)
A bright, lemony-grassy single oil steam-distilled from citronella grass, a familiar scent from outdoor candles and patio blends.
How to use it
3–5 drops for a fresh, energizing porch or patio atmosphere.
Pairs naturally with lemongrass and lemon for a citrus-grass blend.
Dilute in a carrier oil and patch-test — it can be sensitizing.
Safety in detail
- Max dermal use
- Dilute in a carrier oil for skin
- Phototoxic
- No
- Generally well tolerated, but its citronellal and geraniol are recognised fragrance allergens — dilute and patch-test, especially on sensitive skin.
- Not phototoxic. Keep out of reach of children.
Sources: JEOB study (2021)
Composition & chemistry
Aggregated from 22 GC-MS samples across 13 peer-reviewed open-access studies (2020–2026). Figures are the distribution across those samples — median with interquartile range — not a single reading.
- Oxygenated monoterpene 82.4%
- Sesquiterpene hydrocarbon 10.6%
- Monoterpene hydrocarbon 4.8%
- Oxygenated sesquiterpene 1.4%
- Unclassified 0.8%
| Constituent | Median | Typical range | Max | Detected in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| citronellal ↗ C10H18O | 26.2% | 15.2–32.2% | 61.9% | |
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| geraniol ↗ C10H18O | 21.6% | 18.6–33.9% | 42.1% | |
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| citronellol ↗ C10H20O | 12.2% | 5.8–13.5% | 17.9% | |
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| limonene ↗ C10H16 | 3.9% | 3.2–6.3% | 23.1% | |
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| elemol ↗ C15H26O | 2.5% | 0.1–6.5% | 7.5% | |
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| neral ↗ C10H16O | 2.1% | 0.5–3.8% | 10.3% | |
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| geranyl acetate ↗ C12H20O2 | 1.8% | 1.6–2.4% | 5.0% | |
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| β-elemene ↗ C15H24 | 1.7% | 1.1–2.6% | 5.2% | |
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| geranial ↗ C10H16O | 1.3% | 0.7–4.9% | 13.4% | |
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| germacrene d ↗ C15H24 | 1.2% | 0.9–2.3% | 7.9% | |
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| δ-cadinene ↗ C15H24 | 1.2% | 0.7–2.4% | 12.3% | |
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| β-caryophyllene ↗ C15H24 | 1.1% | 0.9–2.1% | 8.2% | |
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+ 90 more compounds reported across the dataset.
13 peer-reviewed sources behind these figures
- Romero AK, Portillo DJ, Beltrán SB, Sierra LJ, Álvarez CA, Ramírez KJ, Martínez JR, Stashenko EE. (2023). Enhanced Two-Step Extraction from Biomass of Two Cymbopogon Species Cultivated in Santander, Colombia. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Oliveira GDS, McManus C, Delgado F, Domingues J, Oliveira Filho JG, Salgado CB, Sousa HAF, Dos Santos VM. (2026). A New Antibacterial Protocol Based on <i>Cymbopogon nardus</i> (L.) Rendle Essential Oil and UV-C Radiation with Potential Application for Hatching Eggs. Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland).
- Marzochi GR, Semensato LO, de Oliveira FS, Silva VCP, Fabri EG, Schinor EH, Hirata ACS, Forim MR, Kauffmann AC, Monquero PA. (2026). Essential oils as bioherbicides: effects of orange and citronella oils on weed germination and early growth. Pest management science.
- Sereia MOP, Santos EAD, Leite LP, Neves RC, Marin VR, Ferreira H, Contiero J, Sass DC. (2025). Synergistic Effect of Essential Oils and Rhamnolipid on <i>Xanthomonas citri</i> Subsp. <i>citri</i>. Microorganisms.
- Martínez-Téllez MÁ, Virgen-Ortíz JJ, Hurtado-Macias A, Talamantes-Soto RP, Hernández-Cristobal O, Peralta E, Zavala-Aranda SD, Colín-Chávez C. (2026). Sustainable PLA-Citronella Essential Oil Films: Development and In Vitro Antifungal Evaluation for Potential Blueberry Packaging Applications. Foods (Basel, Switzerland).
- EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP), Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M, Ramos F, Villa RE, Woutersen R, Chesson A, Schlatter J, Westendorf J, Dirven Y, Manini P, Dusemund B. (2024). Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil derived from the leaves of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle (citronella oil) for use in all animal species (FEFANA asbl). EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority.
- Uopasai S, Senaphan K, Borlace GN, Thongkham E, Aiemsaard J. (2024). In vivo mosquito repellency effect of citronella (Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle) essential oil bath bomb formulation in dogs. Veterinary world.
- Caballero-Gallardo K, Scudeler EL, Carvalho Dos Santos D, Stashenko EE, Olivero-Verbel J. (2023). Deleterious Effects of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Essential Oil on Life Cycle and Midgut of the Natural Predator Ceraeochrysa claveri (Navás, 1911) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Insects.
- Santos C, Ramos A, Luís Â, Amaral ME. (2023). Production and Characterization of k-Carrageenan Films Incorporating Cymbopogon winterianus Essential Oil as New Food Packaging Materials. Foods (Basel, Switzerland).
- Champakaew D, Rattanasophon P, Phannasee C, Saehao W, Sukkanon C, Intirach J, Junkum A, Pitasawat B. (2023). Repellent effect of local indigenous knowledge-based repellent in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, against Aedes aegypti mosquito. Heliyon.
- Pereira PS, Oliveira CVB, Maia AJ, Vega-Gomez MC, Rolón M, Coronel C, Duarte AE, Coutinho HDM, Siyadatpanah A, Norouzi R, Sadati SJA, Wilairatana P, Silva TG. (2022). Evaluation of the In Vitro Antiparasitic Effect of the Essential Oil of Cymbopogon winterianus and Its Chemical Composition Analysis. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland).
- Somala N, Laosinwattana C, Teerarak M. (2022). Formulation process, physical stability and herbicidal activities of Cymbopogon nardus essential oil-based nanoemulsion. Scientific reports.
- Gaspar de Toledo L, Dos Santos Ramos MA, Bento da Silva P, Rodero CF, de Sá Gomes V, Noronha da Silva A, Pavan FR, da Silva IC, Bombarda Oda F, Flumignan DL, Gonzaga Dos Santos A, Chorilli M, Gottardo de Almeida MT, Bauab TM. (2020). Improved in vitro and in vivo Anti-Candida albicans Activity of Cymbopogon nardus Essential Oil by Its Incorporation into a Microemulsion System. International journal of nanomedicine.
Every figure above traces to a named table in one of these open-access papers. How this was built →
- Citronellal — the dominant lemony aldehyde; associated with citronella's insect-repellent and antifungal activity in studies JEOB study (2021)
A scent most people associate with summer evenings before they ever learn the plant behind it.
What the research says
An honest read of the published research — what has actually been studied, at what stage. Not medical advice or a promise of results.
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Citronella oil has been studied for antifungal and insect-repellent activity in the laboratory and field. Its use as a natural mosquito deterrent is well known, though effect tends to be shorter-lived than synthetic repellents.
JEOB study (2021)
Evidence & sources
Peer-reviewed research on Citronella's chemistry and safety. These describe composition and documented effects — not health or treatment claims.
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Citronella is a citronellal- and geraniol-rich grass oil, the chemistry behind both its fresh-lemony aroma and its studied antifungal and repellent activity.
JEOB study (2021)
Frequently asked questions
Does citronella really repel mosquitoes?
Citronella has documented repellent activity and is a popular natural option, but its effect wears off faster than synthetic repellents, so it needs frequent reapplication. It's a deterrent, not a guaranteed shield. JEOB study (2021)
Is citronella the same as lemongrass?
They're related grasses but different oils. Citronella is citronellal/geraniol-rich; lemongrass is citral-rich. Both smell lemony, but their chemistry and uses differ. JEOB study (2021)
Is citronella phototoxic?
No — citronella isn't phototoxic. Dilute it for skin because of its allergen content, but there's no sun-exposure restriction.
Gallery
The Plant
Citronella (Cymbopogon nardus, sometimes C. winterianus for the related “Java” type) is a tall, clumping grass native to South and Southeast Asia, closely related to lemongrass in the same genus. Sri Lanka has been a historic center of citronella cultivation and export for well over a century, and the grass is now also grown commercially across Indonesia, China, and parts of Central America.
Extraction and Aroma
The oil is steam-distilled from the fresh or partly dried grass, producing a bright, sharp, lemony-grassy aroma instantly familiar from outdoor candles, tiki torches, and porch-side patio blends — a scent most people in the U.S. associate with summer evenings before they ever learn the plant behind it. Citronellal supplies the sharp lemon top note, while geraniol and citronellol soften it with a rounder, slightly rosy-floral undertone.
Traditional and Everyday Uses
Citronella grass has long been distilled in South and Southeast Asia both for perfumery — as a lower-cost substitute for rose-scented compounds like geraniol and citronellol — and for its bright, outdoor-associated aroma. In the diffuser, 3–5 drops alone gives a fresh, energizing atmosphere, and it blends naturally with lemongrass and lemon for a cohesive citrus-grass combination well suited to a porch or patio diffuser during warm months.
On Skin
Dilute in a carrier oil before any topical use; citronella can be sensitizing for some skin types at higher concentrations, so starting conservative and patch-testing is worth the extra minute.
A Note on Expectations
Citronella’s aroma is simply pleasant to have outdoors on a summer evening. Registered insect repellents are a regulated product category with specific efficacy testing requirements, so we don’t make repellency claims here — if effective bug protection is the goal, an EPA-registered repellent is the appropriate product, not an aromatic oil.
Found in these blends
Citronella is one of the oils inside 1 Young Living blend.