Herb Plants

Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis

Dug this spring from a grove in my yard and potted, these first-year plants are still small, and may not bloom next year.

Native shrub, zones 3-9; fruit high in vitamin C. Matures to 6-12 ft. Spectacular blossoms 6-10" diameter. Drought and cold-tolerant. Wildlife habitat.

Aloe vera, small plant

Aloe vera is a succulent plant with a clear gel inside the leaves that is used often used as an alternative medical treatment for burns and skin care. 

Grow inside in bright light, or outside in shade in warm weather, watering every 2-3 weeks. Does not like wet feet. 

To use, remove leaves at the base with a sharp knife, then put in a sandwich bag, wrap in foil, and store in the fridge to reuse for 4 or 5 days. 

Basil, Lemon

Ocimum basilicum citriodorum 

Citrusy flavor is best used fresh in salads, vinaigrettes, cheese or egg dishes, beverages, ice creams, sorbets, or with fruits, summer vegetables, seafood, and poultry. Excellent in baked goods.

Basil, Purple

Ocimum basilicum 'Dark Opal" 

Use fresh, frozen, or dried, cooked or raw, or as a garnish on veal, lamb, fish, poultry, white beans, pasta, rice, tomatoes, cheese, eggs, and mild vegetables. Potpourris, sachets, and dried winter bouquets. 

Basil, Sweet

Osimum basilicum

Sweet, peppery flavor with hints of anise for Italian and Mediterranean dishes like pesto, Caprese salad, and sandwiches. Both leaves & flowers are edible. Pairs nicely with tomatoes, garlic, and mozzarella.

Bee Balm, Pink
Monarda didyma

Bee Balm, Red
Monarda didyma

Catnip
Nepeta cataria

Chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla

12" tall x 18" wide. Ground cover; moist sites; full sun to part shade. Harvest flowers every 10 days in morning, spread on newspapers in airy room, & turn often. Herbal teas, calms anxiety, settles stomach. Can trigger ragweed allergy.

Chives
Allium schoenoprasum

Used like onions, leeks, & garlic.10-12" tall; fine, round, hollow leaves. Full sun; high organic matter. Divide in early spring, fertilize; remove flowers before fading. Edging; bouquets.

Citronella, large Pelaronium graveolens Citrosa

"Mosquito plant". Citrus-scented geranium, houseplant. Don't over-fertilize; nitrogen reduces fragrance. Refreshing scent. Vigorous, drought tolerant; frost tender.

"Mosquito plant" - 

see above

French Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa 

Sweet anise flavor; salads, soups, sauces, shellfish, fish, chicken, & turkey. 

24" high. Divide in fall & top-dress with compost. Cut back in June.

Germander

Teucrium chamaedrys

6-18" tall with 1-2 ft spread. Edging, ground cover, rock garden, knot & herbal garden. Full sun. Flowers attract bees; untidy.

Treats gout or part of a “cure what ails you” concoction called Venice Treacie. .

Hyssop

Hyssopus officinalis

Disinfectant, antimicrobial, expectorant. Honey-sweetened tea for nose, throat, & lung afflictions. Honey & perfume.

Flowers & leaves flavor meats, fish, vegetables, salads, sweets, & liqueurs. Harvest flowers beginning or end of summer. Hang to dry, chop finely.

Lavender
Lavandula x intermedia

"Phenomenal"

Tolerant of high heat & humidity, harsh winter. Much better in middle TN than L. angustifolia. Well-drained soil, full sun: hot dry slopes & bank, rock gardens, pots. 

Deer-resistant, attracts bees & butterflies. Essential oils, perfumes, sachets. 

Lemon Balm

Melissa officinalis 

"Calming" herb, in Middle Ages for stress, better sleep, appetite. Mosquito repellant & to attract bees. 

Vigorous grower with scent of lemon. Freshens breath, soothes bug bites.. 

Delicious garnish on fruit salad, in muffins, tea, water, or butter. 

Orange Balm

Melissa officinalis 'Mandarina'

Mounding habit like lemon balm. Sunny well drained area. Prune often. Ground cover, rock gardens, natural areas.

Heavily wrinkled leaves smell like mandarin oranges; edible in soups, salads, sauces, vegetables, & teas. Potpourri & sachets.

Lemongrass

Cymbopogon sp.

Grassy clump 3-5 ft tall. Annual; overwinter indoors. Harvest bulbous stem bases, chop & freeze; or clip leaves at ground level for tea & soup when 12" tall. 

Dried, fresh in tea, soup, fish, curries, beef, poultry, seafood. 

Pesticide, antifungal, & preservative.

Lovage
Levisticum officinale

Anti-inflammatory & anti-oxidant. Edible like celery. Diuretic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, stimulant, jaundice treatment, rashes, psoriasis, acne. Cosmetics, salve, tinctures, infusions, vinegar, lozenges, essential oil.

Full sun, keep moist. Attracts beneficial parasitic wasps & tachinid flies.Hardy, reseeds. Toxic to cats, dogs, horses.

 Apple

18" tall, spreads by underground stems

Old fashioned "fuzzy mint". Bruise velvety leaves & put in ice water, tea, or Apple Mint Jelly. Fresh leaves as garnish & in salad.

Chocolate

Dies back in winter, and resprouts in early spring. 

Smells like peppermint patty. Good tea, add fresh to strawberries. 

Grapefruit

Slightly hairy leaves have citrus flavor. Spreads less than some mints, with strong upright stems, & purple flowers. Leaves & flowers in fruit salads & drinks. 

Julep

Variety of Spearmint. Culinary & tea. The mint commonly used for mint julep drink is Kentucky Colonel Spearmint.

Lemon

Attracts pollinators. Leaves add a lemon flavor to cooked foods, salads, and teas, & can also be used in potpourri

Lime

Large dark green rounded leaves, tall upright, citrus-lime scent & flavor. Good in tea, with fruit punch, margaritas, etc.

Orange

Fuzzy leaves with sweet orange flavor. 2 ft stems tinged with red. Damp spots. White & pink flowers have strong citrus scent. 

Iced tea, cold drinks, salads, mint sauce for fish or lamb, orange mint jelly & vinegar. 

Peppermint

Moist, light shade. Grow near roses to help keep aphids away. May also repel rodents. 

Medicinal uses; enhances memory. Tea & flavoring for ice cream, confectionery, chewing gum, & toothpaste. 

Spearmint

Spreading.Light frost tolerant

Vitamins, anti-oxidants & vital nutrients. Less menthol than peppermint. Harvest just before flower for culinary use, or in full flower for essential oil. Best for teas, drinks

Strawberry Mint

Frost-tolerant. Spreads less aggressively than others.

Small, toothed leaves slightly wrinkled with strawberry scent. Pink flowers attract various insects.

Oregano, Variegated

Spreads to 18", 4-12" tall. Rock garden, edging, containers. Attracts bees & butterflies. Full sun or part shade; do not over water. Fresh salads, vegetables, salsa, & meats. 

Oregano, Golden

Origanum vulgare 'Aureum' 

Mild peppery flavor; golden leaves. Tomato dishes, meats, stews, pasta, stuffing

6-12" tall x 18-24" wide. Rock garden, border, ground cover. Full sun, light traffic. 

Oregano, Greek

Origanum vulgare

Tomato sauces, meats, fish, cheese, eggs, salad, cheese, vegetables. Tea for indigestion & coughs. Tastes best before flowering. Cut back to ground for more fullness. Edging, ground cover

Oregano 'Hot and Spicy'

Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum 'Hot and Spicy'

Pungent, highly aromatic bold flavors: Mexican dishes, spicy salsa, chili. Use half as much as Greek. Herb garden, border. 

Parsley, Flat-leaf Italian

Petroselinum crispum neapolitanum 

These plants will need some growing time before harvest Peppery flavor, breath freshener, anti-inflammatory. 

NOTE: Biennial will live 2 yrs Host of black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar. 

Rosemary 'Arp'

Salvia rosmarinus 'Arp'

Improves memory,. Stuffing, roast lamb, pork, chicken & turkey, BBQ. Contains antioxidants. 

Withstands prolonged drought, loves full sun.Grows large & attractive. Topiary, pots.  May be most hardy cultivar, but may overwinter in sunny garage or protected

Rosemary 'Gorizia'

Salvia rosmarinus 'Gorizia'

4 to 5 feet tall, columnar. Strong stems make good skewers for grill; mild flavor. Full sun, tolerates high shade. Good drainage. Heavy mulch helps with temperature extremes.

Rue

Ruta graveolens 

Bluish leaves are ornamental. Medicinal, condiment, & insect repellent. Cough syrup. Ointment for gout, rheumatism, & sciatica. Can cause phytophotodermatitis. 

Sage, Garden

Salvia officinalis

2-3 ft tall, sprawling. Attracts bees; repels cabbage butterflies. Stuffing for poultry, pork, rabbit, baked fish; meat loaf, sausage, vinegar, soup, herbal butter, omelets, salad. Hair color, insect repellent, lotion, potpourri, herbal wreaths.

Sage, Golden

Salvia officinalis 'Aurea'

Evergreen variegate gray-green leaves. Flowers attract bees & butterflies. Sausage, stuffing, or butter for pasta. Full sun, very well-drained soil. Very drought tolerant 

Sage, Pineapple
Salvia elegans

Frost-tender perennial to 3-4 ft . Bright red, long, spiky flowers attract hummingbirds & butterflies in late summer. Leaves & flowers garnish, flavoring agent & decorative in breads, sandwiches, salsa, smoothies, fritters & chicken. Teas & jellies. Flowers antioxidative & antimicrobial. Lowers blood pressure, treats insomnia, anxiety & nervous system disorders. 

Sage, Purple

Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens' 

Full sun, good drainage. Drought tolerant; protect from excess winter wet. Courtyard, cottage, Mediterranean & informal gardens. Virtually disease free, but watch for snails, slugs, & leafhoppers. Attracts bees, butterflies, & occasionally humming-birds..Deer resistant.

Sage, Russian

Salvia yangii 

3-4 ft with silvery foliage with pungent menthol scent. Blue flower spikes from mid-summer through fall. Full sun, well drained soil. Mixed perennial border, xeriscaping, rock garden, scensory garden, winter interest, dried flower arrangements. No serious insect or disease problems. Plant somewhat floppy. 

Sage, Tricolor

Salvia officinalis

Form of regular culinary Garden Sage. Grayish-green leaves, marbled with white, pink & purple, adds interest to garden & to recipes. Garnish for poultry dishes. Strongly aromatic foliage fresh or dried. Attracts bees & butterflies. Herb gardens, mixed borders, & containers. 

Salad Burnett

Sanguisorba minor 

Root & leaves astringent, diaphoretic & styptic; effective wound herb. Infusion for rheumatism & gout. Leaves fresh or frozen in salads, sandwiches, cold drinks, dips, soups, vinegars, eggs - taste of cucumber. Infusion of leaves soothes sunburn, eczema. Full to part sun, 12-18" tall.

Sorrel, Green

Rumex acetosa 

Leafy green in salads, stir-fries, marinades, soups, casseroles; with fish, cream, yogurt, & cheese. Distinctive sour, lemony flavor. From the knotweed family, or Polygonaceae, also goes by "dock." 

Thyme, Lemon 

Thymus citriodorus 

Smells & tastes like lemon. Use in recipes with lemon juice, zest or flavoring. Marinade for fish or chicken. Drought & freeze resistant. Hot, sunny, well drained location. Knot garden, herb garden, along a walk or wall, in containers, between steps. Flowers attract bees. Strip tiny leaves from woody stems before using. 

Thyme, Creeping 

Red-flowered

Thymus praecox 

Fast spreading, low-growing, drought-tolerant groundcover for sunny, dry spots. Requires no maintenance. Fragrant. Around stepping stones, over boulders, in stone paths. Deer-proof & hardy.

Thyme, Silver Edged

Thymus citriodorus

Up to 4.5" tall with very small leaves. Grow in full sun. Fairy garden; more ornamental than culinary types.

Valerian; Garden Heliotrope

Valeriana officinalis

Crude extract of valerian root may have sedative, anti-depressant, & tranquilizer effects. For medici-nal use, cut flower stalks as soon as they appear to direct energy to root. Harvest roots in spring or fall. Wash, then quickly dry at 120 degrees in the oven until brittle. Keep indefinitely in airtight container.

Grows up to 7 ft tall in fertile, weed-free soil. Flowers have sweet, cherry pie fragrance but the whole plant, except the flower, has a terrible putrid smell to which cats are strongly attracted.