List of Herbs (Culinary)

Aloe vera

Aloe vera

The spiky green foliage of aloe vera is splotched in white and contains a gel-like sap often used to soothe burns and moisturize skin. This succulent perennial herb is at home in frost-free, sunny, well-drained sites. Native to hot, dry regions of Africa, it has been traced to early Egypt, where it was used for its healing properties. Aloe makes a great houseplant, especially in colder Zones where it cannot be grown outdoors all year. Aloe vera is also sometimes called Barbados aloe and true aloe.

Angelica

Angelica

Angelica is a tall, hardy biennial herb with dramatic stalks that can be candied and used on cakes or cookies. The first year, the plant produces beautiful frilly green foliage. The second year, angelica sends up flower stalks and then produces seeds. The flowers and foliage make a dramatic back-of-the-border accent in perennial beds. The celery-flavor stems may be eaten raw or candied for use in baking. Use the dried root in tea. Plants might self-sow, but plant new angelica each year to ensure a constant supply. Grow it in full sun or dappled shade in rich, organic soil.

Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Basil dishes up classic Italian flavor in eye-catching bushy plants suitable for garden beds or containers. Grow this tasty beauty in a sunny spot, and you'll reap rewards of flavorful foliage in shades of green, purple, or bronze. Basil lends a distinctive taste to salads, pizza, and pasta dishes. Use small leaves whole; chop larger leaves. Add leaves to dishes just before serving for greatest taste and aroma. Basil plants are exceedingly sensitive to cold; start basil seeds indoors or plant basil outside after all danger of frost has passed.

Bayberry

Myrica pensylvanica

Bayberry forms a beautiful semi-evergreen shrub that tolerates either wet or dry soils. The shrub also withstands salt spray, making it a good choice for coastal landscapes. Plants gradually spread from underground suckers, eventually forming a thicket. Pruning is rarely necessary.

Borage

Borago officinalis

Sparkling periwinkle-blue blooms dance atop borage's fuzzy stems and leaves. A beauty in the garden, annual borage faithfully comes back from seed each year, quickly filling in a space. Harvest edible flowers to beautify salads, summer drinks, or desserts. Toss blooms onto fanned tomato and mozzarella slices for a festive Fourth of July feast. Freeze flowers in ice cubes to decorate drinks with cool color. Borage will flower indoors in containers if given heat and plenty of light. In the garden, pull seedlings judiciously in spring.

Calamint

Calamintha

Calamint is dotted with masses of tiny flowers that attract butterflies from midsummer until frost. The small white or pale lavender blooms make a good substitute for baby's breath. Calamint is a member of the mint family, but it doesn't spread by runners, so it usually remains well behaved in the garden. However, it can self-seed and occasionally pops up elsewhere in the landscape. Grow calamint in a location with good drainage for a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant perennial with airy texture.

Caraway

Carum carvi

This biennial develops ferny foliage its first year in the garden and bears white flowers and seeds the second year. The seeds are most commonly used to flavor rye and other breads, but all parts of the plant are edible. Caraway prefers a sunny location with rich, well-drained soil. Although the plant tolerates drought, don't let the soil dry out completely.

Catnip

Nepeta cataria

Catnip is an easy-to-grow perennial grown primarily for its fragrant foliage that is extremely attractive to cats. A vigorous herb, catnip can be grown indoors on a sunny windowsill or in a bright location outdoors. As with many mints, it can become invasive. Plant it in a location where it is easily controlled. And remove the flower heads before they mature and set seeds. Harvest catnip leaves at any time as a treat for your favorite feline. You also can dry the leaves and stuff them into kitty toys. The aromatic foliage also repels mosquitoes.

Chamomile

Chamaemelum nobile, Matricaria recutita

Chamomile's dainty daisylike blooms glisten when dew-spangled and glow in moonlight. Carpet a garden path or patio with Roman chamomile, a flowering groundcover that releases a delicate fragrance when crushed underfoot. Use this herbal groundcover in the garden to edge beds with a feathery, fast-spreading quilt or to cascade artfully over the rim of containers. German chamomile is a bushy beauty that's a favorite among bees and butterflies. Tucked into flower beds, it offers season-long color. Chamomile blooms brew a soothing tea. Toss fresh blossoms over salad, or use fresh or dried leaves to season butter, cream sauce, or sour cream.

Chervil

Anthriscus cerefolium

Punch up the flavor of springtime dishes with the low-calorie, big taste of chervil. This fuss-free herb thrives in garden beds or containers, growing easily from seed. Snip chervil to give an herbal boost to salmon, asparagus, new potatoes, cream sauces, and baby lettuce salads. Leaves blend a sweet, grassy taste with a hint of licorice. Chervil prefers moist soil and shaded roots. Plants don't transplant well; sow seeds where you want them to grow. Scatter seeds in beds or containers several times throughout the growing season for continuous harvest. In the garden, let a few flower stalks set and drop seed to enjoy continued chervil crops.

Chives

Allium schoenoprasum

Chives grace the garden with bright green stems and pinkish-purple pom-pom blooms -- all of which offer a distinctly mild onion flavor. Versatile and easy-growing, chives thrive in containers and also form an eye-catching edging in planting beds. Place chives with convenient harvest in mind; a pot near the kitchen door keeps garden-fresh flavors close at hand. After chives flower, cut plants to encourage new growth, trimming a portion of the clump at a time. In wintry regions, as the growing season winds down, dig up a few bulbs to tuck in a pot for on a sunny windowsill.

Cilantro, coriander

Coriandrum sativum

With bright green, fern-textured stems, cilantro holds its own in beds or pots, forming a clump of sturdy, flavorful stems. Every part of cilantro promises a taste treat: spicy leaves, pungent seeds (known as coriander), and tangy roots. Most gardeners grow cilantro for the foliage, which boasts a citrusy bite that enlivens Mexican and Thai cooking. You might see this herb called Chinese parsley.

Once flowers form, leaf flavor disappears. Pinch plants frequently to keep flowers at bay. Cilantro tends to bloom as summer heat settles in; growing plants in partial shade and adding mulch can stave off flower shoots -- but not indefinitely. To ensure a season-long supply of leaves, sow seeds every 2-4 weeks. If plants set seed, dry seeds for use as coriander, and save a few for sowing. Allow flowers to drop seeds in the garden and you may be rewarded with a second crop.

Comfrey

Symphytum spp.

Comfrey leaves are full of nutrients that make a natural high-potassium fertilizer or addition to compost. This perennial herb sends down deep roots that pull nutrients into the plant's large, hairy leaves. It grows best in moist sites high in organic matter. Common comfrey, Symphytum officinale, is a vigorous plant that can grow up to 4 feet tall. The plant spreads by rhizomes and can become invasive.

Cuban oregano

Plectranthus amboinicus

Cuban oregano could be called an herbal smorgasbord. Other common names for it include Mexican mint, Spanish thyme, and Indian mint -- an indication of its complex flavor. Cuban oregano has fuzzy succulent leaves on a plant that grows 12-18 inches tall and wide. It doesn’t survive freezing temperatures, but it is easy to start from cuttings. Plants can be taken indoors over winter and treated as houseplants. Cuban oregano is not a true mint, but rather is more closely related to Swedish ivy.

Dill

Anethum graveolens

For versatility in the garden, it's hard to beat beautiful, easy-grows-it dill. This herb fills a planting area with a fountain of graceful, delicate foliage. Flat flower heads beckon butterflies, bees, and other good bugs. Snip tasty foliage to flavor home-cooked fare, from potatoes, to soups, to egg dishes. Save seeds for seasoning bread, stews, root vegetable dishes, and pickles. Dill thrives in dry, sunny spots, and plants self-seed to keep the crop coming year after year. To ensure a steady supply of foliage for snipping, sow seeds every four weeks during the growing season.

Green lacewings, an aphid predator, frequent dill plantings, making dill a great companion for roses and other aphid favorites. Black swallowtail butterflies lay eggs on dill. Look for black, green, and yellow striped caterpillars munching their way along stems.

Epazote

Dysphania ambrosioides

Epazote is a pungent tender perennial most commonly used in Mexican cooking. Use the leaves fresh or dried in bean dishes and soups. Epazote blends well with oregano, cumin, and chiles, but on its own it has a strong flavor that some compare to kerosene.

Fennel

Foeniculum vulgare

Dress up your garden with a textural masterpiece: fennel. With graceful, fernlike foliage, this herb brings beauty to any setting with an airy form that's a butterfly magnet. Tuck fennel in a sunny spot amid a border where its towering flowers can weave between other plants. Sow seeds where you want them to grow; established plants don't transplant well. Flowers lure a host of beneficial, beautiful bugs -- from butterflies and ladybird beetles to bees and hoverflies.

Green lacewings, aphid predators, frequent fennel, making the herb a great companion for roses and other aphid favorites. Black swallowtail butterflies lay eggs on fennel. Look for black, green, and yellow striped caterpillars munching their way along stems.

Garlic chives

Allium tuberosum

Garlic chives add a mild zing to soups, meats, and other dishes. The herb tastes a bit more like garlic than chives or onions, making it a versatile ingredient in the kitchen. It's also ideal for the garden; the upright, grassy foliage looks great tucked in with other perennials or in container gardens. Grow this tough perennial in a sunny spot and you'll be able to enjoy the tasty leaves all season long. You can also cook with the clusters of white flowers that appear in late summer or fall.

This plant can self-sow vigorously in the garden, so cut off all the flower stalks as they fade.

Ginger, common ginger, cooking ginger, Chinese ginger

Zingiber officinale

Common cooking ginger is a tropical plant that can be grown outdoors year-round in Zones 8-11, or in a container to bring indoors over winter. Ginger prefers moist soil and part shade. If you take the plant indoors over winter, reduce the amount of moisture and light to slow growth. You can start plants from gingerroot (actually rhizomes) sold in grocery stores. The plant has little ornamental value, so it's not often sold in nurseries.

Horehound

Marrubium vulgare

Horehound is a hardy member of the mint family. It has fuzzy gray-green foliage and small white flowers. Like mint, this plant can become invasive. Horehound is not fussy about growing conditions but prefers full sun and good drainage. Neither deer nor rabbits eat horehound unless they are extremely hungry. Plant the herb to deter these pests if they are a problem in your neighborhood. Horehound has traditionally been used as a cough suppressant or to make candy.

Horseradish

Armoracia rusticana

Horseradish is a large perennial herb with coarse leaves and small white flowers. The large taproots are harvested to make the pungent relishes and sauces for which the plant is known. Root cuttings or divisions planted in spring will produce harvestable roots in 180-240 days. The plant can become invasive, so plant it with caution, or keep it contained to prevent it from spreading too far.

Hyssop

Hyssopus officinalis

An evergreen, bushy perennial herb, hyssop produces upright stems with small white, lavender, or blue flowers in summer. It grows up to 2 feet tall and makes a good plant for edging and containers. Although this plant is not closely related to anise hyssop, both plants attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Lavender

Lavandula_ spp.

Lavender fills the early-summer garden with sensory delights: beautiful purple-tone blooms atop foliage that oozes fragrance on a sunny afternoon. Every part of the plant is infused with aromatic oil, making this a choice herb to place along pathways or near outdoor seating areas so you can savor the fragrance. Lavender varieties abound: The darker the flower, the more intense the aroma -- and the flavor in cooking.

Drought-, heat-, and wind-tolerant, lavender doesn't like poor drainage, waterlogged soil, or high humidity. Raised beds can enhance drainage; surrounding plants with a gravel mulch can help increase heat around roots. After flowering, shear plants to induce bushiness and subsequent bloom. Avoid cutting plants back to the ground. Dried blooms retain fragrance for a long time; crush dried flowers to release aromatic oils anew.

Lemon Balm

Melissa officinalis

Lemon balm's quilted green leaves release a delicious lemony aroma when brushed, making it the perfect fragrant addition to plantings near patios and garden benches. Low-maintenance lemon balm thrives in beds or containers, as long as roots sink into well-drained soil. Bees can't resist this bushy beauty, so be sure to tuck it in a garden where you grow vegetables and fruits that need pollinating. Trim plants after flowering to limit seeds and subsequent self-sown volunteers. Take advantage of lemon balm's scent as an insect deterrent -- toss a few stems onto a hot grill to drive away mosquitoes.

Lemon Verbena

Aloysia triphylla

If you love lemon flavor, make room for lemon verbena in your garden. Grown in a pot, this fragrant beauty will maintain a tidy size. In the ground, it forms a luxuriously lemony shrub. Packed with delicious citrus flavor, thinly sliced leaves add zest and aroma to fish, salads, and steamed vegetables. Stuff a jar with lemon verbena leaves, fill it with water, and sit it in the sun to brew a refreshing tea for summer sipping. For hot tea by the cup, steep 1/2 cup of leaves in 1 cup hot water. Transform cookies or cakes into lemony treats by mixing bruised lemon verbena leaves into sugar the night before baking. Strain out leaves prior to mixing recipe.

In the garden, lemon verbena benefits from formative pruning. In spring and as needed throughout the growing season, snip branch tips and entire stems to keep the plant shaped and in bounds. Grow plants in light shade in southernmost gardens.

Lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus

Grow a touch of the tropics by tucking a clump of lemongrass into a pot or garden bed. This herb brings the textural beauty and movement of an ornamental grass to the garden, along with one additional feature: lemony leaves with a hint of ginger. Lemongrass leaps out of the ground when warm nights arrive. Watch for fresh stalks to emerge -- combine lemongrass with cilantro, chile peppers, and garlic for the makings of Thai and Asian cuisine. In cold regions, dig a side stalk in late summer and plunk it into a pot to grow indoors through winter.

Licorice root

Glycyrrhiza glabra

This shrubby perennial that bears bluish-purple flowers in summer is a member of the legume family. A native of the Mediterranean, it grows well in hot, dry areas. The roots are the edible portion of the plant, producing flavoring for candies and a sweetener that quenches thirst. Dried roots are sometimes used as chew sticks. The plant spreads by rhizomes, so it can be easily divided to start new plants. It is not related to the ornamental annual called licorice plant (Helichrysum).

Lovage

Levisticum officinale

A relative of celery, lovage is a hardy perennial herb whose leaves can be used in soups, salads, and bouquets. Unlike most herbs, lovage thrives in clay soil that is slow to drain. Lovage is a large plant, reaching up to 5 feet tall, so grow it at the back of the border where it can spread and not compete with other plants. Its small yellow-green flowers attract beneficial insects. After planting, lovage grows vigorously for about four years and then slows. Because lovage is a self-seeder, clip off flower heads before they mature unless you want more plants.

Marjoram

Origanum majorana

Happy and carefree in the garden, marjoram packages a spicy-sweet flavor in its bright green leaves. Plants quickly cover well-drained, fertile soil with flavorful foliage. Marjoram thrives in containers and hanging baskets, which showcase trailing stems nicely. Give plants a little shade during the hottest parts of the day in the warmest zones. In regions where marjoram won't survive winter, grow this spicy herb in pots, or dig and pot a portion of an in-ground plant before hard frosts threaten. Frequent harvests throughout the growing season produce a bushy plant. In the kitchen, brew a relaxing tea by combining 1/2 cup each marjoram and mint with 1 cup hot water. Steep, strain, and sip.

Milk thistle

Silybum marianum

This striking member of the daisy family has thorny, variegated foliage and purple blooms that resemble large thistles. Remove the blooms before seeds mature to prevent the plant from self-seeding and becoming weedy. When cut, the plant produces a white, milky liquid, which is how it got its name. The plant has been used for centuries as a treatment for diseases of the liver and gallbladder. In its native range, it is an annual, but it may overwinter in Zones 5-9.

Mint

Mentha

Plant a patch of cooling, refreshing fragrance by adding mint to your garden. Undemanding and easy to grow, mint boasts a hearty constitution, often growing where other plants fail. Fragrance varies with variety, as does taste. Use mint fresh or dried to season a range of culinary creations including soups, beverages, vegetables, meats, and desserts.

Mint quickly scrambles to cover garden real estate; tuck mint where you don't mind its wandering ways, or corral its rambles by planting it in a raised bed or a pot sunk into soil. Plants readily cross-pollinate; keep your patch pure by planting mixed varieties as far apart as possible. This herb releases scent when you crush or bruise leaves. Place it near garden paths or benches so you can savor the fragrance frequently. All mint varieties thrive in containers.

Mullein

Verbascum

Tall and imposing, this wildflower has become gentrified. Many hybrid forms have been selected with large saucer-shaped flowers and showy stamens. Some have soft woolly leaves. Small sorts do well in rock gardens and troughs, but taller varieties show off well in perennial or mixed borders, and among shrub plantings. They tolerate most soils well, but not wet feet. Cut back after the first flush of bloom for later spikes to develop.

Myrtle

Myrtus communis

An evergreen shrub from the Mediterranean and Middle East, myrtle has long been used as a symbol of love. It has dark green, glossy leaves, and in early summer it bears small white flowers that develop into edible purplish berries. Myrtle can be sheared or pruned frequently, making it an excellent choice for hedges and topiaries. Avoid overwatering the plant; it often develops yellow leaves if the soil is excessively wet.

Oregano

Origanum vulgare

Savor true Italian flavor with garden-fresh oregano. This sprawling herb pumps up the taste in tomato sauces, pizza, and Mediterranean cuisine. An easy-growing perennial, oregano thrives in planting beds or containers. Plant it in a pot with rosemary, sage, and thyme for a flavorful quartet you can place near the kitchen door, handy for snipping and sprinkling into dishes. In the ground, plants will flower and set seed, which shortens the harvest season. Pinch flowers from stems to keep plants in top snipping form.

Parsley

Petroselinum

Perk up your garden and your mealtimes by adding parsley to your growing roster. The only maintenance this fuss-free herb requires is planting and harvesting. Give plants evenly moist, well-drained soil, and you'll enjoy fresh green flavors in no time. Curly leaf parsley brings a crisp taste to salads, vegetables, and herb butters, and it's a key ingredient in bouquet garni and fines herbes, an herb blend used in French cuisine. Flat-leaf Italian parsley boasts a stronger flavor that holds up well in cooking, earning this herb a place in soups, stews, and sauces.

Patchouli

Pogostemon cablin

Patchouli is a tropical perennial herb grown for its fragrant foliage. Its essential oils are used in perfumes and insect repellents. Grow patchouli in partial shade, and protect plants from cold temperatures. It is hardy in Zones 10-11 but can be grown as an annual in colder Zones. The plant thrives in hot, humid weather, and in midsummer it bears pale pink or white flowers.

Pennyroyal

Mentha pulegium

This perennial mint relative bears whorls of fluffy lavender-purple blooms in late summer and fall. It is native to parts of Europe and Asia but has become naturalized throughout much of North America. It often is found growing along waterways, a nod to its preference for moist soil. Like other mints, pennyroyal can spread aggressively, so keep it contained. Pennyroyal has been used as an herb for hundreds of years and is sometimes called fleabane due to its insect-repellent nature.

Rosemary

Rosmarinus officinalis

Known as a symbol of remembrance and friendship, rosemary fills a garden with aroma, flavor, and activity -- busily pollinating bees love the blooms. This herb comes in various forms, from stiff and upright, ideal for a hedge planting, to mounded and spreading, perfect for scrambling along a slope or wall. The secret to beautiful rosemary is to give plants a hot, dry footing. Grow plants in well-drained soil or a raised bed and surround them gravel mulch for best results. Rosemary thrives in containers, too.

In coldest zones, overwinter rosemary in an unheated room with a fan. Protect overwintering plants from extreme humidity. Too low humidity can cause plants to drop leaves; too high can favor powdery mildew.

Rue

Ruta spp.

This shrubby aromatic herb has been used for medicinal and culinary purposes for centuries. It is rarely used nowadays in American cuisine because the leaves have a bitter flavor. Rue grows best in full sun but tolerates light shade. It must have good drainage to survive, however. Rue has fine-texture blue-green foliage and bears yellow flowers in summer. Rue self-seeds, so remove flower heads before they set seed to avoid more plants. This shrub can be clipped into a neat hedge, making it an ideal herb for knot gardens.

Saffron

Crocus sativus

Whether you call it an herb or a spice, saffron is made from the dried stigmas of one fall-blooming crocus species. This precious herb can be worth thousands of dollars per pound. Grow your own crop for significant savings in making your own paella. Plant this crocus in early fall; the corms will bloom 6-8 weeks later if the bulbs are planted 3-4 inches deep and about 2 inches apart. Saffron grows best in full sun in well-drained soil.

Sage

Salvia officinalis

You just can't overdo sage in the garden. This perennial herb earns its keep with fast-growing ways, beautiful blooms, and a flavor deer find distasteful. Once established, plants shrug off drought, although it's wise to keep plants well-hydrated through the hottest parts of summer if you want a steady supply of supple foliage.

Some gardeners pinch out flower buds to keep leaves forming, but the blooms are beautiful. If you choose to let plants flower, when blossoms fade, cut plants back to beneath where flower buds formed. Don't cut back to woody stems that have no leaves; those most likely won't sprout again. Sage plants typically require replacing every 3-4 years, as plants become woody and produce fewer leaves.

The uses of sage are beyond measure. Besides its popular use as a culinary herb, sage is also commonly pressed into service in cosmetics, perfumes, and soaps. Some naturalists rub it on their skin as an insect repellent. Hanging dried leaves among woolen clothing deters moths. Burning sage removes unpleasant odors, such as lingering cigarette smoke or cooked fish smells.

Salvia

Salvia

There are few gardens that don't have at least one salvia growing in them. Whether you have sun or shade, a dry garden or lots of rainfall, there's an annual salvia that you'll find indispensable. All attract hummingbirds, especially the red ones, and are great picks for hot, dry sites where you want tons of color all season. Most salvias don't like cool weather, so plant them outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.

Savory

Satureja_ species

Every dish you make with summer savory will find your family savoring a flavor similar to dill with a hint of thyme. The delicate spice of summer savory has made it a favorite in kitchens, especially when teamed with early crops of green beans and new potatoes. An easy-growing herb, summer savory thrives in typical well-drained garden soil, starting quickly from seed. Regular harvesting encourages new growth and yields bushy plants. Summer savory foliage is fine textured, pairing nicely with the broader leaves of bush beans, beets, basil, or Swiss chard. Dried savory shines when combined with rosemary, thyme, lavender, and bay leaf, the basic foundation for Herbes de Provence, to which other herbs, such as marjoram, basil, and fennel are added.

Scented geranium

Pelargonium

With fragrances of fruits, flowers, spices, and even chocolate, scented geraniums delight the senses. The plant's tactile leaves -- some fuzzy, some smooth -- come in a wide range of shapes and hues. They have been favorites of herb and indoor gardeners since Victorian times. They are hardy in Zones 10-11 and warmer parts of Zone 9 but can be grown as annuals or houseplants in colder regions. Most scented geranium flowers are smaller and less showy than annual bedding geraniums, but they can create an attractive bonus to the fragrant foliage. Plants grow up to 3 feet tall and wide.

Shiso

Perilla

Think of shiso like a coleus for sun. In fact, it's closely related to coleus and serves the same role -- to add colorful foliage and an exotic feel to beds, borders, and containers. Some varieties of this plant, though, are treated as an herb and eaten. Others are grown as colorful ornamentals that thrive in both shade and sun. It can be difficult to find in some garden centers, but is becoming more commonly available. Some types of shiso will self-seed in the garden.

Sorrel

Rumex spp.

Sorrel begins growth in early spring, providing salad greens when few other edibles are available. The plant thrives in full sun or partial shade, and it prefers moist soil. Some types can be grown in shallow water. Sorrel develops a mound of foliage that grows 12-18 inches tall, and it sends up a flower stalk with green flowers that mature to reddish-brown seeds. Remove seed stalks to prevent the plant from self-sowing.

Stevia

Stevia rebaudiana

Stevia develops sweet-tasting foliage that's an excellent alternative to sugar or artificial sweeteners. Given enough moisture, this tropical plant thrives in containers or in the landscape. Just be sure to plant it where the soil drains well; stevia will not thrive in constantly wet soil and resents heavy clay. Avoid using high nitrogen fertilizers. In northern climates, move stevia indoors before frost hits and treat it like a houseplant.

Sweet cicely

Myrrhis odorata

Sweet cicely is one of the few herbs that thrives in the shade. It prefers moist soil and cool temperatures. All parts of sweet cicely are edible and impart a slight anise flavor to recipes. Use the leaves either fresh or dried in salads. Seeds are sometimes substituted for caraway; roots may be peeled, boiled, and eaten as a vegetable. The plant grows 3 feet tall and wide with fernlike foliage. In late spring, sweet cicely bears clusters of attractive white flowers.

Sweet woodruff

Galium odoratum

Sweet woodruff makes a big statement in the shade garden. In spring, the plants are smothered with white flowers and the foliage has a sweet, haylike fragrance. It makes a great groundcover for hard-to-plant dark corners of the landscape. Sweet woodruff can become invasive if given the right conditions. Plant it where you can control it easily. It does not tolerate drought.

Sweetgrass

Hierochloe odorata

Also called holygrass or bisongrass, sweetgrass is a native prairie grass prized for its fresh scent. It grows naturally in meadows and along stream banks. Native American tribes have long used sweetgrass for making smudge sticks as well as for weaving baskets. The plant spreads up to 2 feet wide annually, so plant it where it can be confined. It eventually forms a thick mat of foliage that tends to flop over unless cut back.

Tarragon

Artemisia dracunculus

French tarragon creates a shrubby presence in the garden border, combining fine texture with wonderful green-to-gray foliage. Leaves dish up a sweet anise flavor used to create traditional Bearnaise sauce and the fines herbes blend vital to French cooking. In rich soil, plants practically jump out of the ground, thriving with little care. For best growth, remove flowering stems. With a sunny window and rich soil, you can raise French tarragon indoors. If light isn't strong enough, stems will likely sprawl and leaf flavor will diminish, but you'll still be able to savor the licorice taste. In the garden, pair French tarragon with bearded iris, burgundy-toned shrubs, or lilies for an eye-pleasing scene. In coldest zones, cut plants back in fall and mulch after the ground freezes.

Thyme

Thymus

Introduce scenery from the Greek Isles to your garden with lush plantings of thyme. This sun-loving, drought-tolerant herb carpets hillsides in Greece, thriving in well-drained soil. Drought conditions concentrate the aromatic oils in thyme, so the drier your growing conditions, the better. In your garden, tucking plants into raised beds or mulching them with gravel will give thyme the conditions that cause it to thrive and be flavorful.

The flowers beckon honeybees, so add thyme near vegetable gardens to assure an ample supply of pollinators. Shear plants back after bloom, cutting off about a third of stems. With dainty proportions, thyme suits containers or the tight growing quarters between stepping stones.

Thyme introduces a savory flavor to dishes, such as roasted vegetables, soups, and sauces. It is also a key ingredient in bouquet garni, fines herbes, and herbes de Provence. Use thyme to enhance poultry, beef, pork, or seafood. This herb also adds a kick to cheese and egg creations. Thyme's oils take time to be infused into dishes; add thyme early in the cooking process to release the greatest flavor.

Valerian

Valeriana officinalis

This upright perennial herb, also called garden heliotrope, is topped with white to pinkish-white fragrant flowers in midsummer. The blooms were once used in perfume production. Cats also find the plant attractive and may rub against the foliage as they do with catnip. Valerian attracts butterflies to the garden. Remove spent flowers to prevent the plant from self-sowing.

Vietnamese coriander

Persicaria odorata

This Southeast Asian native is often used as a coriander substitute in Vietnamese cuisine. It adds a lemony coriander flavor to fresh salads, summer rolls, soups, and salads. In Zones 10 and 11, it can be grown outdoors in a moist, semishaded location as a perennial. Elsewhere, grow it as an annual or in a container to bring indoors over winter. The silvery leaves often develop a maroon blotch that makes the plant quite ornamental.

Yarrow

Achillea

Yarrow is one of those plants that give a wildflower look to any garden. In fact, it is indeed a native plant and, predictably, it's easy to care for. In some gardens, it will thrive with almost no care, making it a good candidate for naturalistic plantings in open areas and along the edges of wooded or other wild places.

Its colorful, flat-top blooms rise above clusters of ferny foliage. The tough plants resist drought, are rarely eaten by deer and rabbits, and spread moderately quickly, making yarrow a good choice for massing in borders or as a groundcover. If deadheaded after its first flush of blooms fade, yarrow will rebloom. If left to dry on the plant, flower clusters of some types provide winter interest. Flowers of yarrow are excellent either in fresh or dried arrangements.

Collected By-Mir Niaz Morshed

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