The lemon myrtle tree has leaves that are strongly lemon scented when crushed and the essential oils that are extracted are useful for culinary and medicinal purposes. The lemon myrtle is native to the rainforests of Queensland in north-eastern Australia where the Australian indigenous people used the leaves for their flavoring and healing properties. More recent scientific examination of these oils has shown their antimicrobial and insect repellent properties.

Although the lemon myrtle can grow to over fifty feet in optimal situations, in commercial situations it rarely exceeds fifteen feet. In the springtime it is heavily covered with bunches of small white lemon-scented flowers that are attractive to insects and birds. It is an exceptionally adaptable tree to most soil conditions but is not hardy in Chicago.