Herb Basics

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.

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...

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....

Yellow root is a wildflower shrub belonging to the buttercup family. It has been used as a medicinal herb by native Indians and folk remedy in Southern cultures for generations. It is also...

Ginger root is a tuber native to Asia, but is now cultivated around the world. It is a member of the family Zingiberaceae, which also includes the popular spices cardamom and turmeric. In some...

Grown today mainly as an ornamental plant, valerian has historically been valued for its root, which was used for various medicinal purposes. Before barbiturate drugs were invented, valerian was...

Ginger is a familiar kitchen pantry spice. Its tangy and distinctive taste has lent its flavor and name to culinary classics like gingerbread and ginger snaps. Derived from the ginger root it is...

Before horseradish was a condiment, it was an medicine. Today, it still has several uses as a medicine, along with its culinary applications. The large tap root is the part of the plant most often...

Burdock is a thistle that grows wild in North America and is sometimes classified as a weed. If you can tolerate a "weed" growing in your yard, there is a lot to like about burdock. You'll find...