What You Need to Know About Garden Herbs

Learn more on the types of Herbs, how to grow herbs and how to plant herbs in your garden

An herb is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties, flavor, scent, or the like.

Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, or in some cases even spiritual usage. The green, leafy part of the plant is often used, but herbal medicine makes use of the roots, flowers, seeds, root bark, inner bark (cambium), berries and sometimes the pericarp or other portions. General usage differs between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs. A medicinal herb may be a shrub or other woody plant, whereas a culinary herb is a non-woody plant, typically using the leaves. Any of the parts of the plant, as well as any edible fruits or vegetables, might be considered "herbs" in medicinal or spiritual use.

Culinary use of the term "herb" is much more specific and narrow. Culinary use typically distinguishes between herbs, the leafy green parts of the plant, and spices, all the other parts of the plant, including seeds, berries, bark, root, fruit, and even occasionally leaves. Culinary herbs are distinguished from vegetables in that they are used in small amounts and provide flavor (similar to spices) rather than substance to food.

Any plant contains numerous phytochemicals that have varying effects on the body. Even when consumed in the small levels that typify culinary "spicing", there may be some effects, and some herbs are toxic in larger quantities. For instance, some types of herbal extract, such as the extract of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort), or the Piper methysticum (kava plant) can be used for medical purposes to relieve depression and stress. But high amounts of these herbs may lead to poisoning, and should be used with caution.  [top]

A

* Ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi)
* Alkanet (Anchusa arvensis), mostly used as a natural coloring
* Allspice (Pimenta dioica)
* Almond
* Alpinia galanga
* Amchur - mango powder (Mangifera)
* Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
* Anise (Pimpinella anisum)
* Aniseed myrtle (Syzygium anisatum)
* Annatto (Bixa orellana L.)
* Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens)
* Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
* Asafoetida (Ferula assafoetida)
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B

* Berberis
* Banana
* Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
* Bay leaves
* Black cardamom
* Black cumin
* Blackcurrant
* Black lime, lime boiled in salt
* Bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus)
* Blue-leaved mallee (Eucalyptus polybractea)
* Bog Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum)
* Boldo (Peumus boldus)
* Bolivian Coriander (Porophyllum ruderale)
* Borage (Borago officinalis)
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C

* Calendula
* Calumba (Jateorhiza calumba)
* Cananga Also known as 'Kenanga' in Malaysia.
* Chamomile
* Candle nut
* Cannabis
* Caper (Capparis spinosa)
* Caraway
* Cardamom
* Carob Pod
* Cassia
* Casuarina
* Catnip
* Cat's Claw
* Catsear
* Cayenne pepper
* Celastrus Paniculatus - Herb.
* Celery salt
* Celery seed
* Centaury
* Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
* Chickweed
* Chicory
* Chile pepper
* Chipotle
* Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
* Cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
* Cilantro (see Coriander) (Coriandrum sativum)
* Cinchona (Cinchona)
* Cinnamon (and Cassia)
* Cinnamon Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia)
* Clary
* Cleavers
* Clover
* Cloves
* Coffee
* Comfrey
* Common Rue
* Condurango
* Coptis
* Coriander
* Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita)
* Couchgrass
* Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)
* Cowslip
* Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus)
* Cress
* Cuban Oregano (Plectranthus amboinicus)
* Cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba)
* Cudweed
* Cumin
* Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii)
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D

* Damiana (Turnera aphrodisiaca, T. diffusa)
* Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
* Demulcent
* Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)
* Dill seed
* Dill (Anethum graveolens)
* Dorrigo Pepper (Tasmannia stipitata)
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E

* Echinacea
* Echinopanax Elatum
* Edelweiss
* Elderberry
* Elderflower
* Elecampane
* Eleutherococcus senticosus
* Emmenagogue
* Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides)
* Ephedra
* Eryngium foetidum
* Eucalyptus
* Eyebright
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F

* Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
* Fenugreek
* Feverfew
* Figwort
* Filé powder
* Fingerroot (Boesenbergia rotunda)
* Fo-ti-tieng
* Fumitory
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G

* Galangal
* Garam masala
* Garden cress
* Garlic chives
* Garlic
* Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
* Ginkgo biloba
* Ginseng
* Ginseng, Siberian (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
* Goat's Rue (Galega officinalis)
* Goada masala
* Gotu Kola
* Grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta)
* Grains of Selim (Xylopia aethiopica)
* Grape seed extract
* Green tea
* Ground Ivy
* Guaco
* Gypsywort
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H

* Hawthorn (Crataegus sanguinea)
* Hawthorne Tree
* Herbes de Provence
* Hibiscus
* Holly
* Holy Thistle
* Hops
* Horehound
* Horseradish
* Horsetail (Equisetum telmateia)
* Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
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I

* Imli (Tamarind)
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J

* Jalap
* Jasmine
* Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum)
* Joe Pye weed (Gravelroot)
* John the Conqueror
* Juniper
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K

* Kaffir Lime Leaves (Citrus hystrix, C. papedia)
* Kaala masala
* Knotweed
* Kokam
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L

* Labrador tea
* Lady's Bedstraw
* Lady's Mantle
* Land cress
* Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
* Ledum
* Lemon Balm (Melissa Officinalis)
* Lemon basil
* Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus, C. flexuosus, and other species)
* Lemon Ironbark (Eucalyptus staigeriana)
* Lemon mint
* Lemon Myrtle (Backhousia citriodora)
* Lemon Thyme
* Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora)
* Licorice - adaptogen
* Lime Flower
* Limnophila aromatica
* Lingzhi
* Linseed
* Liquorice
* Long pepper
* Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
* Luohanguo
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M

* Mace
* Mahlab
* Malabathrum
* Manchurian Thorn Tree (Aralia manchurica)
* Mandrake
* Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
* Marrubium vulgare
* Marsh Labrador Tea
* Marshmallow
* Mastic
* Meadowsweet
* Mei Yen
* Melegueta pepper ( Aframomum melegueta)
* Mexican pepperleaf (Piper auritum)
* Mint (Mentha spp.)
* Milk thistle (Silybum)
* Bergamot (Monarda didyma)
* Motherwort
* Mountain Skullcap
* Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
* Mustard
* Mustard seed
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N

* Nashia inaguensis
* Neem
* Nepeta
* Nettle
* Nigella sativa
* Nigella (Kolanji, Black caraway)
* Noni
* Nutmeg (and Mace)
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O

* Oenothera (Oenothera biennis et al)
* Oilseed
* Olida (Eucalyptus olida)
* Oregano (Origanum vulgare, O. heracleoticum, and other species)
* Orris root
* Osmorhiza
* Olive Leaf (used in tea and as herbal supplement)
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P

* Pandan leaf
* Paprika
* Paracress
* Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
* Passion Flower
* Patchouli
* Pennyroyal
* Pepper (black, white, and green)
* Peppermint
* Peppermint Gum (Eucalyptus dives)
* Perilla
* Plantain
* Pomegranate
* Ponch phoran
* Poppy seed
* Primrose (Primula)
* Psyllium
* Purslane
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Q

* Quassia
* Quatre épices
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R

* Ramsons
* Ras el-hanout
* Raspberry (leaves)
* Reishi
* Restharrow
* Rhodiola rosea
* Riberry (Syzygium luehmannii)
* Rocket/Arugula
* Roman chamomile
* Rooibos
* Rosehips
* Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
* Rowan Berries
* Rue
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S

* Safflower
* Saffron
* Sage (Salvia officinalis)
* Saigon Cinnamon
* St John's Wort * Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor or Poterium sanguisorba)
* Salvia
* Sassafras
* Savory (Satureja hortensis, S. Montana)
* Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)
* Scutellaria costaricana
* Senna (herb)
* Senna obtusifolia
* Sesame seed
* Sheep Sorrel
* Shepherd's Purse
* Sialagogue
* Siberian Chaga
* Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
* Sichuan pepper (Xanthoxylum piperitum)
* Siraitia grosvenorii (luohanguo)
* Skullcap
* Sloe Berries
* Smudge Stick
* Sonchus
* Sorrel (Rumex spp.)
* Southernwood
* Spearmint
* Speedwell
* Squill
* Star anise
* Stevia
* Strawberry Leaves
* Suma (Pfaffia paniculata)
* Sumac
* Summer savory
* Sutherlandia frutescens
* Sweet grass
* Sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
* Sweet woodruff
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T

* Tacamahac
* Tamarind
* Tandoori masala
* Tansy
* Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
* Tea (Camellia sinensis)
* Teucrium polium
* Thai basil
* Thistle
* Thyme
* Toor Dall
* Tormentil
* Tribulus terrestris
* Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
* Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
* Twinleaf onion
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U

* Uva Ursi also known as Bearberry
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V

* Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia)
* Vasaka
* Vervain
* Vetiver
* Vietnamese Coriander (Persicaria odorata)
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W

* Wasabi (Wasabia japonica)
* Watercress
* Wattleseed
* Wild ginger
* Wild Lettuce
* Wild thyme
* Winter savory
* Witch Hazel
* Wolfberry
* Wood Avens
* Wood Betony
* Woodruff
* Wormwood
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Y

* Yarrow
* Yerba Buena
* Yohimbe
* Yomogi
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Z

* Zedoary Root
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