Herb Basics

Ever wonder how to store cilantro in the refrigerator, and keep it fresh and green? It's common to buy a bunch of fresh cilantro, also called Chinese parsley, for a specific recipe, only to have...

Sweet-smelling honeysuckle can do more for you than scent your garden. The flowering vine (Lonicera caprifolium) can also be infused in water, alcohol or a carrier oil to make extracts, tinctures,...

Basil is an aromatic herb used in cooking and crafts. There are various kinds of basil, but the one used in Italian cooking is sweet basil or Mediterranean basil.

Mandrake root is an ancient herb used to induce sleep and as a painkiller. It is dangerous and is related to deadly nightshade. It has been used in witchcraft for centuries.

Sweet Annie is a flowering herb that, like most herbs, thrives in most conditions and soils. It sprouts in bundles of light green branches that blossom with tiny yellow flowers in midsummer. Also...

Some people love Allium plants and others hate them, but we've all probably eaten them. Despite their odor, they are included in thousands of recipes.

In addition to being a celebrated savory seasoning, rosemary has a time-honored tradition of medicinal and therapeutic use. For centuries, it has been used to enhance memory, promote hair growth...

Whether grown for cooking, for aroma, or for beauty, a hanging herb garden can fit into any outdoor decor. Hanging containers filled with herbs can adorn a small apartment balcony or welcome...

The best time to harvest peppermint plants to extract their essential oil is before they've begun flowering. That's when the highest concentration of natural oil is present. Although many people...

Mint, sometimes called mentha, comes from a flowering plant. Mints are aromatic, perennial herbs used for culinary, medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Fresh mint is a preference among culinary chefs...

Bee balm (Monarda didyma) is a perennial herb, also known as Bergamot. Bee balm stands up very well to pruning, and the cuttings can be used to make an herbal Oswego tea, which should be drunk at...

Coleus are grown for the boldly colorful, decorative and often scalloped leaves. A tender annual, coleus makes a very useful bedding plant. The insignificant and modest flower spikes are usually...

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) are a good choice for growing plants because they produce less heat--almost none--and provide the correct color spectrum for plant growth. They are...

Purslane is considered a particularly pesky weed by many gardeners, but it was a popular food source at least as far back as the Roman Empire. It was widely used in medieval times for medicinal...

A licensed herbalist is a professional who uses herbs and plants for their healing and restorative properties. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), "Herbal medicine, also...

Essential oils made from herbs and flowers can be used for all sorts of things, including cooking, skincare and medicinal purposes. With a few simple steps and minimal equipment, you can make your...

American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is an herbaceous perennial that's a member of the ivy family. It's native to Eastern North America, especially the Ozark and Appalachian regions of the...

Hemlock is a poisonous plant. It is tall with white flowers and many branches. Wintergreen is an aromatic, wintergreen plant that ripens in the fall, producing red berries.

Thyme is commonly grown for use in cooking, especially in Mediterranean cuisine. It is a hardy, attractive ground cover and attracts bees. The essential oil has been used medicinally for a variety...

Salvia Officinalis, commonly known as garden sage, is a culinary herb favorite. It contains thujone in the volatile oil, which serves as an antiseptic, antibiotic and a vermifuge (expeller of...

Edible ginger root is a common ingredient in many Asian and Indian dishes. Ginger root is available all year in the produce section of most grocery stores and can also be grown at home. Learn how...

Mullein has long been a part of the herbal apothecary and is widely used in the treatment of respiratory disorders including tuberculosis and asthma. It is also commonly used as a topical ointment...

With its feathery foliage and pungent licorice scent, bronze fennel is a great addition to any garden. Plants grow from three to five feet tall, spreading three feet or more and producing tiny...

Drying mint plants to make tea is a satisfying way to provide yourself with soothing and refreshing mint tea. According to the website Farm Fresh Living, mint plants should be harvested or trimmed...

Learning how to use marijuana growing techniques to grow other herbs can be a worthwhile process. Premium marijuana is often grown using hydroponics, a method of growing plants without soil. As...

Siberian ginseng is not technically real ginseng. It is closely related to other ginsengs, but not of the same genus. The plant grows wild in hardwood forests in most areas of North America....

Feverfew is a perennial herb that bears feathery, light green leaves and small daisy-like flowers. It is an ancient herbal remedy for pain of all sorts, including migraines, arthritis and uterine...

Used in aromatherapy to help calm the nerves and eliminate stress, lavender has grown in popularity over the last couple of years and today is commonly found in everything from soaps and shampoos...

Fennel is a perennial herb with a variety of culinary uses. Fennel bulbs are eaten raw, cooked or boiled, the seeds toasted and the leaves are great in sauces, soups or salads. Because the herb is...

Have you ever enjoyed the wonderful taste of homemade root beer? Chances are it was made from sarsaparilla. This attractive, flowering herb is often used as a substitute for flavoring root beer....

More than 900 types of sage plants exist, according to the University of California Cooperative Extension Service. Since ancient times sage has been known for its medicinal benefits. It is...

Many people have very little space in their gardens, or may have nothing bigger than a window box. Here are some lovely gift ideas which I hope will increase the popularity of herbal plants, and...

Growing and harvesting your own herbs can save you from spending a lot of money in the spice aisle of the grocery store. Growing your herbs outdoors in the summertime will guarantee hearty,...

Milk thistle is a popular medicinal herb. It is believed to detoxify the liver and improve its function, as well as calm upset stomachs and lessen the symptoms of gallbladder diseases. The milk...

Fresh herbs are a wonderful addition to your kitchen or garden, as they provide a fresh taste to a variety of dishes. If you want the taste of fresh herbs in your favorite dishes, do not spend...

Parsley is a popular herb for gardens, especially in English or Mediterranean herb gardens. Like most herbs, parsley is not that difficult to grow in the proper climate zones. Keep it watered and...

Grown for thousands of years, mint remains popular for beauty, cooking and medicinal purposes. Mint oil provides the base for many items flavored or scented with mint, such as salves, lotions and...

Stevia has become quite popular in the commercial market because it is a natural sweetener that has no caloric stigma attached to it. For people interested in growing stevia for the purpose of...

Oil extracted from mint leaves has many uses. In addition to acting as a flavoring agent for foods, mint oils are also used in lotions, medicines, and candy. If you grow your own mint at home, you...

The fragrance of lemon verbena is sought after because of its nurturing, calming effect. It holds up well when dried and can often be found in potpourri mixes. Fresh lemon verbena leaves can be...

Herbs are easier to grow than many types of garden plants, and usually it's only total neglect that will kill them. Still, you can optimize their growing and production by adhering to their likes...

Sage, a plant native to the Mediterranean region, is a popular herb used in savory dishes. Although sage is a hardy, fairly climate-tolerant plant requiring little direct care, you can do a few...

A bay plant, also known as a laurel, is a Mediterranean plant that was worn as a garland by ancient Greeks. It is also known as bay laurel and sweet bay. Bay is used as an herb and can be...

Super Milk Thistle is a brand of a dietary supplement containing primarily milk thistle. Useful for many bodily functions, milk thistle has been marketed as a liver and kidney aid for years.

Essential oils made out of herbs have long been used in alternative medicine, aromatherapy, and beauty treatments. Many types of recipes call for drops of essential oils added to bath salts, bug...

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) is a Mediterranean herbaceous plant. Its name comes from its citrus-like smell. Lemon balm can reach a height of up to 5 feet and is grown for ornamental and...

Harvest saffron from the delicate, thread-like stigmas of the saffron crocus (Crocus sativus). Requiring 4,000 flowers to produce one ounce, this spice is an expensive delicacy used for its...

Mint oil is sometimes used to flavor recipes, as well as to scent rooms. The most common plants used for mint oils include peppermint (Mentha piperita) and spearmint (Mentha apicata). While mint...

Bay leaves grow on the sweet bay or laurel tree. Native to Asia Minor, the aromatic laurel tree is now also found in the Mediterranean region and regions of similar climate. Bay leaves are a...