HERBS

Arkansas Master Gardener

Training Series

Herbs:

What are They?

Herbs can be classified as Medicinal, or

Culinary or Ornamental.

Herbs are the plants we use to add

flavor to our diet.

Many have a long history of use .

Many are found in the wild as common

plants.

Fresh Herbs are now sold in most

grocery stores.

Herbs – garden, pots,

landscape

Herbs: What Are Your

Favorites?

Basil

Cilantro

Dill

Parsley

Lavender

Sweet Bay

Chives

Mint

Oregano

Rosemary

Sage

Tarragon

Thyme

Basil

Basil

Used in Pesto and

tomato sauces ,as

well as salads.

Common in Asian

and Italian foods.

Originated in India

and spread to the

Mediterranean

Propagated by seed

or cuttings.

Warm season crop

Needs full sun

Pinch out flowers.

Harvest leaves often to

encourage branching.

Freeze leaves in olive oil

to preserve.

Chives

Chives

Used to garnish

dishes , salads and

soups.

First recorded 4 to 5

thousand years ago in

China.

Propagate by divisions

or by seed.

Plants are hardy but

need to be protected

in the winter

Well adapted to growing

in pots.

Plants like to be

harvested often and

divided often.

Coriander/Cilantro

(What’s The Difference?)

Coriander or Cilantro

Used in Indian , Asian

and Middle Eastern

Dishes. Leaves used

in Salsa.

Came from southern

Europe and spread to

ancient Egypt, China

and India.

Propagated by seed

and replanted often.

Dry the seeds and

freeze. Use the leaves

fresh.

Dill

Dill or Dill Weed

Used in everything

from pickles to cheese.

Used to flavor fish and

meat.

Native from the

Mediterranean to

Russia. One of the

oldest herbs from

Europe.

Self propagates from

seed.

Does best in cool

weather.

Dry seeds, or freeze the

foliage in a sealed glass

container.

A favorite food of

caterpillars.

Parsley

Parsley

Used as a garnish a

breath cleanser, in

pesto, sauces, and

butters.

Thought to have come

from the island of

Sardinia. In myth it

sprung from the Greek

hero Archemorous.

Biennial that needs

protection,

Plant from seed in late

winter

Can be dried but is best

when used fresh.

Lavender

Lavender

Lavender

Used to flavor sugars,

sweets, and jellies.

Comes from the Latin

word to wash. A

favorite of the Greeks

and Romans in their

baths.

Perennial, English

lavender is hardy but

French lavender is

not.

Propagate by seeds or

by cuttings.

Needs full sun with a

well drained, calcareous

soil.

Harvest flowers , dry and

store them in an airtight

container.

Mint

Mint

Used in many things

from teas, jellies, to

candy. Common in

Middle eastern cuisines

Mint was a sign of

hospitality in ancient

Greece and Rome. The

crowns seen on

Romans were mint.

Propagated by cuttings

or divisions.

Very invasive plant that

needs to be contained.

Plants need to be

harvested often.

Leaves can be dried and

stored in airtight

containers. Oils can be

extracted by distillation

in the field.

Oregano

Oregano

Used in breads,

sauces meats, and

vinegars.

Grows wild in the

mountains of Greece.

Name comes from the

Greek meaning

mountain and joy.

Perennial that

survives with some

protection into zone 5

Likes full sun and

moderate conditions.

Propagated by cuttings

or by seed.

Leaves can be dried or

ground with olive oil and

frozen. Fresh leaves

break down quickly in

cold storage.

Rosemary

Rosemary

Rosemary

Used with breads,

eggs, sauces, and

meats. Used to flavor

vinegars and butter.

An ancient aromatic

plant from the

Mediterranean. The

herb that was used to

awaken Sleeping

Beauty.

Tender plant that likes

neutral soils but can not

be allowed to dry out.

Propagated from

cuttings. Only way to

get true cultivars.

Sticks and leaves can be

dried. However, fresh

leaves are the most

flavorful.

Sage

Sage

Used with fish and

poultry. Can be used

for both butters and

vinegars.

Used by the Greeks to

the Chinese. Name

from the Latin to cure

or be in good health.

Thought to increase

mental capacity.

Propagate by cuttings.

Hardy shrub that does

well on calcareous well

drained soils. Do not

over water in containers.

Leaves can be dried, but

fresh sage is by far the

best.

A member of the salvia

family.

Ornamental Sages

Tarragon

Tarragon

Used with meats,

sauces and vinegars.

Name comes from the

French “esdragon”.

Pliny said that it could

prevent fatigue. Used

by Thomas Jefferson.

Propagated by cutting

or division. Not by

seed.

Perennial that is hardy

with protection.

Grows best in full sun

and neutral soils.

Divide plants every 2 or

3 years to prevent root

strangulation.

Dry leaves or use fresh

Thyme

Thyme

Used with eggs ,

meats, sauces and

breads.

Name comes from the

Greek word for

courage.

Hardy perennial

shrub.

Grows best in cool

weather

Propagated by seeds,

layering, or cuttings.

Leaves can be dried and

stored in airtight

containers. Fresh

leaves have pungent

flavor.

Sweet Bay

Sweet Bay

Used in soups , stews,

sauces, curries and

rissoto.

Laurus nobilis comes

from the Latin and

Greek: glory, honor

and reward. The

victors in battle were

crowned with a laurel

wreath.

Evergreen tree. Tender

and needs to be

protected in the winter.

Slow growing tree

Propagated from seeds

or cuttings with difficulty

in the spring.

Harvest and dry leaves

or use fresh.

Ginger

Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm

Used with teas,

sauces, fish and

poultry.

Pliny and Dioscorides

used it as a medicinal

herb.

Grown by Thomas

Jefferson at Monticello

Propagated by

cuttings or seed in the

spring.

Hardy plant that may

need to be contained.

Like a well drained

neutral soil.

Dry leaves quickly and

store in an airtight

container.

Lemon Verbena

Lemon Verbena

Old plant that was

used by the settlers to

get a citrus taste. Use

with cakes, sweets

and ice cream.

Hardy shrub that is

propagated by

cuttings.

Plant likes partial shade

and neutral soils.

Harvest leaves and store

in airtight container when

dry.

Lemongrass

Propagation

Rooting

Rosemary Propagation

Rooting