Lemon Myrtle: The Queen of Lemon Herbs

Lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) is native to the subtropical rainforests of Queensland, primarily between Mackay and Brisbane. It is the most concentrated natural source of citral on Earth — the compound that produces "lemon" flavour and aroma. Its citral content (90–98% of the essential oil) exceeds lemongrass (75–80%), lemon verbena (30–35%), and actual lemons (2–5%) by enormous margins. Aboriginal Australians used the leaves as a flavouring, a medicine, and an antiseptic for thousands of years before European contact.

The dried leaf is the usable form. Fresh leaves are intensely aromatic but lose potency rapidly after picking. Dried and milled lemon myrtle retains its citral content for months in sealed containers.

Lemon myrtle with barramundi, finger lime, and saltbush is the canonical Australian native flavour combination — the equivalent of a French fish with tarragon, butter, and white wine. Each component has a specific role: the myrtle provides aromatic lift, the finger lime provides acid, the saltbush provides mineral salinity.