herbs and their uses
Anise Hyssop…… Perennial
Use Anise scented leaves to make tea or as a flavouring. Can be added to soups, stews and salads. An infusion can be used as an expectorant for coughs and sore throats, also to treat bites, burns and stings.
Aniseed….. Annual
Use seed crushed or whole in cakes, breads, apple pie and add to fruit salad with figs, chestnuts and dates. Use as an infusion to produce an antiseptic tea for coughs and colds.
Angelica….. Biennial
Use young stems for crystallizing or cook with Rhubarb to remove acidity. Leaves may be used with stewed fruits to reduce the sugar requirement. Tea made from fresh or dried leaves is a good tonic for colds and also reduces flatulence.
Balm Lemon…. HardyPerennial
Finely chopped leaves can be put into salads and used in white sauces for fish. Put into fruit salads, jellies and custards. An infusion of fresh leaves is a good relief for chronic bronchial catarrh, feverish colds and headaches.
Basil cinnamon….. Tender Annual
Has the aroma of cinnamon can be frozen and used straight from the freezer (better than fresh).
Basil Holy….. Tender Annual
Believed to be grown around the Buddhist temples. Delicious scent used in Thai cooking / stir-fry. Produces pink flowers on deep purple stems.
Basil Lemon….. Tender Annual.
Beautiful lemon fragrance.
Basil Neopolitana…… Tender Annual.
Large crinkled leaves. As grown in Italy hence ideal for use in pasta sauces.
Basil Red Rubin….Tender Annual
Dark purple leaves.very strong Basil scent. Good medium flavour.
Basil Sweet….. Tender Annual
Most popular, strong scent, good with pasta sauce, mixes well with garlic. As with most if not all basil a tea infusion aids the digestion.
Basil Tai Tender….. Annual
Dwarf Anise type
Bergamot Lemon……. Tender Annual
Unusual flowers of pink purple, leaves can be use to make tea or dried for decoration. A tea infusion relieves flatulence, nausea and menstrual pain also insomnia
Bergamot Wild…. Perennial
Wild flower with strong scented leaves used to flavour meat or make tea
Betony ……Perennial
Used as a medicinal plant, has flower spikes of red and purple. Especially good for headaches, coughs and colds. Used mainly for its decorative and ground cover features.
Borage….. Annual
Flower and leaves have a cucumber flavour, use flowers to garnish salad or add leaves to ‘Pimms’. Young leaves can be added to cold drinks. Finely chopped leaves can be added to soft cheese, salads and sandwiches. Leaves can also be used in a salt free diet, as Borage is rich with mineral salts.
Burnet Salad….. Perennial
Cucumber flavored leaves use in salads and sauces. Add at the start of casseroles and cream soups. Can be used in summer drinks to give a cooling effect. The leaf contains vitamin C and when sprinkled over food will aid digestion.
Caraway….. Perennial
Use ripe seeds on bread and cakes and with rich meat, also add to soup and stew. Leaves can be used in salads. Seeds can also be scattered on cheese and cheese dishes. Seeds can be used to produce a tea that will help the appetite and digestion, chew raw seeds for the same effect and to sweeten the breath.
Cardoon….. Perennial
Closely related to the Globe artichoke this herb is grown for its edible flower head and leaf stalks. The flower is a large purple head but must be cut before opening if to be eaten. Ideal for Herbaceous borders.
Cat-mint Mussini….. Perennial
An attractive edging plant that is mildly fragrant. Use the leaf and flower top to make an infusion, good for colds and fevers.
Cat-mint Nepeta….. Perennial
Dried leaves have a sharp balsam like flavour and are used in tea. Fresh leaves may be rubbed into meat to add flavor. In less favorable times the dried leaves were smoked, producing a mildly hallucinogenic effect to relieve the pressures of life.
Celery Leaf…… Biennial
Add small amounts of chopped leaf to salads, Veg soups, cream cheese and stuffing’s. Ground seeds are used in celery salt, add to curries, pickles, soups and casseroles. The ground seed can be used as a substitute in a salt free diet.
Chamomile lawn Roman…… Perennial
Flowers used for Tea, skin wash and as a shampoo additive for blond hair.
Chamomile Wild….. Annual
Similar uses as Lawn above,
CAUTION MAY CAUSE A SEVERE REACTION IN THOSE WITH RAGWEED ALLERGIES.
Lawn Chamomile Treneague….. Perennial
This variety is for producing true Chamomile lawns as it does not flower and grows very short. Gives off apple scented aroma.
Chervil….. Biennial
Use leaves in soup, salads and sauces. As a garnish similar to parsley. An infusion aids digestion and encourages perspiration. Can also be used in an infusion or face-mask to cleanse the skin and maintain suppleness.
Chicory…… Perennial
The flower, leaves and Chi-con (Blanched heads produced when roots are forced in darkness and warmth) can all be used in salads. The Ch-icon can be braised in butter and used as a vegetable. Washed, sliced roots can be dried slowly under a gentle heat, then roasted, ground and used as a coffee substitute.
Chives….. Perennial
Mild, Onion flavored, long cylindrical leaves. Used in Salads, Soups and Sauces. Also mix with butter and cheeses for dips.
Chives Garlic….. Perennial
Long flat leaves, fine and slender. Use as ordinary Chives to dress salads, in soup and in butter or cheese dips. Flavor is mild Onion/garlic.
Comfrey …..Perennial
The best use in this day and age is to put cut leaves and stems in a water butt, the high Potash and mineral contents will infuse and make a good liquid fertiliser.CAUTION it is advised that Comfrey is not to be used internally as recent evidence suggests the plant is carcinogenic.
Coriander…… Annual
Use the seed in Ratatouille, Curries and Tomato chutney add whole seeds to soups and vegetable dishes. The fresh leaves can be used in Curries, sauces, stews and salads and as a garnish. Fresh root can also be used in Curries and as a vegetable
Cotton Lavender….. Perennial
Mostly used for a decorative hedging plant, but the branch can be used as a moth deterrent and the leaves in potpourri. An infusion of fresh leaves can make a tonic and it is thought to kill intestinal worms also give mild stimulation to menstrual flow.
Curry Plant…… Perennial
Gives a mild curry flavour when sprigs are added to rice, vegetables and stews, but remove before serving. Can also be included in pickles. Effective as a insect repellent.
Dill…..Annual
The flower head can be mixed with pickled cauliflower, gherkin or cucumber, whilst the finely chopped leaf can be added to cream cheese, potato salad, grilled meats and soups. The seed can be used in a salt free diet, as it is high in mineral salts.
Fennel Bronze…..Perennial
Fennel Green….. Perennial
Roots can be boiled and used as a vegetable or used as an expectorant. Leaves can be chopped and added to soups, salads and cooked vegetables. Young stems can also be added to salads giving an aniseed flavour. Seeds can be added to bread or included in sauces and fish dishes. The seed can also be chewed to freshen the breath.
Feverfew Golden…… Perennial
Small amounts of leaf can be added to food in order to ‘cut’ the grease, only small as it has a bitter flavour. Is popular for treating Migraine by eating 3 or 4 fresh leaves between bread daily. CAUTION - not to be taken during pregnancy; may cause mouth ulcers.
Garlic….. Annual
Used as a Vegetable and flavouring in many dishes. Crush and chop finely then ad to Curries, Stir-fries and soups. Also excellent roasted and incorporated within meat dishes. Medicinal uses include treatment of high blood pressure, antibiotics and for the digestion.
Heartsease…… Annual
Also known as ‘Wild Pansy’. Use the leaves to garnish salads for colour. Renown as a heart tonic and used for high blood pressure also for skin disorders such as acne and eczema.
Horehound…… Perennial
Infuse in fresh milk as a fly killer!Chop 8 10 fresh leaves finely and mix with honey, slowly eat to soothe a sore throat or cough. Helps treat Bronchitis.
Horseradish…… Perennial
Young leaves can be added to salad and the root used to make Horseradish sauce. Grate fresh washed root into coleslaw, mayonnaise and dips for its hot, pungent taste. Can also help stimulate digestion and protect the intestinal tract. NOTE - avoid large frequent amounts when pregnant or if experiencing kidney problems.
Hyssop mixed…… Perennial
The flower can be included with salads and the leaf in small amounts, with fatty meat and fish to help digestion. Flowers and leaves can also be added to potpourri for its aroma.
Jacobs Ladder…… Perennial
Used at one time for the treatment of headaches and fever. Grown more for its flowers of blue or white.
Lavender (All types)…. Perennial
A must for all herb gardens. Flowers are dried and used to scent draws. Fresh flowers are used in jams and can be crystallised for decoration. Flowers can also be infused in a tea for calming nerves and headaches.
Lemon Grass….. Tender Perennial
The stems and leaf buds are used chopped in oriental stir-fry dishes. Produces a Lemon scented tea good for treating liver complaints. The plant also gives Lemon grass oil, good as a tonic or stimulant and antiseptic.
Lovage….. Perennial
Use seeds in mashed potato, rice and over salads, crush and mix with bread or pastries. Fresh young leaves can be added to salads, stock, stews and cheese dishes. A tea made from the young leaves has a savoury taste.
Marigold Pot Calendula …..Hardy Annual
The yellow petals will colour and impart a light tangy flavour to Rice, meat and fish soups, omelettes, Breads and milk dishes. An infusion from the flower will aid digestion and act as a mouthwash for healing gums.
Marjoram Golden….. Perennial
MsLeaves have a mild savoury flavour useful addition to soups, stews and omelettes.
Marjoram Sweet…. Annual
Chop leaves finely and add to salads or include in a butter sauce for fish. Flowers can produce an infusion for colds and headaches. The stem can be laid over the embers of a barbecue to give a mild flavour to food.
Marjoram Pot….. Perennial
Leaves can be blended with garlic and chillies and also added to egg and cheese dishes, tomatoes and pizza. Fresh or dried can be included in stuffing’s, sausages and omelettes. Also can be used to produce an infusion for headaches and colds.
Mint Apple….. Perennial
The main culinary mint of continental europe. Use fresh, dried or frozen leaves to flavour sweet and or savoury dishes, sauces and drinks.
Mint Peppermint….. Perennial
Due to its high content of menthol offers great cooling powers and is the most valuable of medicinal mints. Use to treat digestive complaints and gastric conditions also insomnia and tension. A tea makes a refreshing drink and is beneficial against colds and flu.
Mint Spearmint….. Perennial
The least pungent of the mints, use in sauces and in chocolate for deserts.
Mint Ginger Variegated …..Perennial
Use to make a tea with a slight hint of spiciness or mix with other mints for a refreshing drink. A good ornamental variety.
Mint Pineapple….. Perennial
Use as above but has the scent of Pineapple, again a good ornamental variety.
Myrtle Small Leaf…. Half Hardy Perennial
The flower can be used in fruit salad but remove the green part first. Fresh leaves can be used inside roast pork after cooking for a slight flavour. Add to fruit when fermenting into alcohol. The leaf can be infused to produce a powerful antiseptic and astringent, crushed leaves can be applied to rashes, skin irritation and external wounds. Juice from berries can be used for stomach-ache.
Onion Welsh…… Perennial
A great substitute for spring onion as this plant is perennial and comes from Siberia not Wales!
Orach Red….. Annual
A traditional wild herb, use larger leaves and young roots to produce an infusion for tiredness and exhaustion, a good tonic and stimulant.
Oregano Greek….. Perennial
The best culinary variety used to flavour meat dishes and add to salads. Also blend with chilli and garlic and add to pizza, cheese dishes or tomatoes.
Oregano Wild….. Perennial
Use to flavour meat dishes and salads, the leaves are also used to make tea and beer. Good for treating coughs and sore throats, the antiseptic leaves can be chewed for toothache.
Parsley Curled…. Biennial
The leaf can be chopped finely then added to or sprinkled over , boiled potato, vegetable soups, egg dishes, fish and sandwiches. Add to cooked dishes to enhance flavour but not until near the end of cooking. Chewing the leaf will freshen the breath and promote healthy skin.
Parsley Japanese….. Perennial
Has a unique flavour and is ideal for including in soups and salads. The plant can be blanched like celery to produce longer, more tender white stalks, the leaf is heart shaped.
Parsley Italian Giant….. Biennial
Similar uses as Curled parsley but has a stronger and coarser flavour with edible succulent stems. Flat leaved
Parsley French….. Biennial
Similar to Italian, slight difference in flavour.
Pennyroyal….. Perennial
Strong peppermint aroma given off when walked upon. Use to produce a tea and as you would standard Peppermint mint.Has attractive mauve flowers and is good for repelling ants! NOTE -do not drink tea when pregnant.
Rocket Salad…… Annual
This has a superb leaf for salads which has a delicious spicy flavour making it quite unique and even compulsive eating. Very easy to grow, ideal for the windowsill. Should be better known.
Rosemary Mrs Jessop ……Hardy Evergreen
Upright variety, pale blue flowers, good for hedges. Use the flowers tossed in a salad or pound with sugar then mix with cream before adding to a fruit purée. The leaves can sparingly be used in both Lamb and Pork dishes amongst others. Also put leaves in Baked potato or herb butter for vegetables. Leaves can be used to treat depression, migraine and disorders of the liver and digestion.
Rosemary Seven Seas ……Hardy Evergreen
Semi-prostrate variety, mid - violet blue flowers, good for containers or borders. Use fresh leaves chopped in soups, also meat fish and poultry dishes.
Rosemary Common…… Hardy Evergreen
Upright shrub, small blue flowers. Use the fresh leaves in soups, Lamb, Pork, chicken and fish dishes.
All Rosemary above can be used for culinary / medicinal purposes, but be warned! Excessive Quantities or Frequent use may cause Poisoning.
Rue …..Perennial
An ancient medicinal herb used homoeopathically to treat phlebitis and varicose veins, also to treat epilepsy and nervous conditions. CAUTION - not to be taken internally only under medical supervision. Can also cause a skin irritation and or leave the skin Hypersensitive to sunlight.
Sage Tri-colour……. Half Hardy Evergreen
Excellent ornamental variety for borders and containers. Use with meats and cheese to give mild flavour.
Sage Golden…… Perennial
Attractive variegated leaves excellent for borders. Use fresh or dried leaves for stuffing’s, meat dishes and cream cheeses. Also use for vinegars and butters. Milder flavour than common sage.
Sage Painte …….Annual
Grown mainly for its colourful bract cut and used fresh or dried in flower arrangements. The fresh aromatic leaves and seeds can be used to flavour food in similar ways as other sage varieties.
Sage Purple……Perennial
This aromatic variety can be used as a herb or as an ornamental plant. Again use fresh or dried leaves in stuffing’s and meat dishes.
Sage Clary…… Biennial
This variety produces strongly aromatic textured leaves and has bi-coloured flowers in the spring and summer.Flowers can be used to make tea or decorate salads. The leaves can be made into fritters.
Sage Common…… Perennial
Savory Summer…… Annual
Enhances flavour as salt does therefore use the narrow leaves sparingly; to flavour beans, cabbage, peas and use with meat dishes and stuffing’s. An infusion of leaves helps treat gastric, loss of appetite and indigestion.
Savory Winter……. Perennial
Use as Summer savoury.
Sorrel French…… Perennial
Use the leaves in salads and soups. Leaves can be used to produce a tea. French Sorrel is not as high in Oxalic acid as some other varieties which cause skin irritations.
St Johns Wort …..Perennial
The young leaves can be used in salads. Make an infusion of young leaves for a mild sedative and gastric stimulant. Has been used to treat poor blood circulation and improve menstruation. Probably best known for its antibacterial properties in treating slow healing wounds and burns. One of the ways to use is to produce an oil by combining dried leaves (powdered) with olive oil, requires a period of fermentation and apply to the affected area.
Strawberry Alpine…… Hardy Evergreen
Use the leaves with other herbs to add bite to teas. An infusion of the leaves helps treat nervousness and diarrhoea. Eat the fruit with cream or produce jam, pies and cakes. The fruit is a good iron supplement and has a mild laxative effect. NOTE strawberries can cause an allergic reaction with some people.
Tarragon French…… Perennial
The best of the tarragon’s, an essential ingredient in French cooking. Add sparingly to produce a subtle flavour which spreads quickly through other ingredients. Add to sauces, fish and meat dishes, excellent rubbed into chicken or mixed with chicken stuffing. An infusion of leaves is high in iodine, vitamin A & C and mineral salts and is good for the digestion and as a general tonic.
Tarragon Russian…… Perennial
More vigorous than French, but has inferior flavour. Use similarly.
Tansy…… Perennial
Leaves can be rubbed over meat to give a flavour similar to Rosemary or can be stew with rhubarb. Used in the North for ‘Tansy Pudding’. Hang bunches in the home to deter flies, will also deter ants and mice. NOTE - use in moderation as is potentially toxic. DO NOT USE AT ALL DURING PREGNANCY.
Thyme Common…… Hardy Evergreen
Use fresh or dried leaves to mix with stuffing’s, sauces, soups and marinades. Use carefully as when fresh thyme is extra pungent. Also add to bouquet-garni with bay and parsley. Particularly good with foods cooked slowly in wine like game, poultry or shellfish. A tea will produce a digestive tonic and is good for hangovers! Also has antiseptic qualities.
Thyme Creeping…….. Hardy Evergreen
As common but is a prostrate variety therefore good for ground cover.
Thyme Doone Valley……. Hardy Evergreen
As common but is a low, spreading variety with green and gold variegated leaves giving a lemon scented aroma.
Thyme Golden archers……. Hardy Evergreen
As common but with aromatic golden leaves.
Thyme Lemon …….Hardy Evergreen
As Common but use at the front of herb or scented borders. Has light lemon taste.
Thyme Lemon Variegated Hardy Evergreen
As above but with green and silvery-white foliage and an attractive lemon aroma.
Thyme Silver Posie …….Hardy Evergreen
As common but with white edged evergreen leaves giving a silvery appearance.
Wormwood……. Perennial
A tea made from the leaves can help stomach and gal bladder complaints. Use in small quantities to cook casseroles and fatty foods. A small number of shoots left to stand in vodka over several weeks will produce a drink that will aid the digestion. CAUSION do not use long term and avoid completely when pregnant.
Tags: cooking with herbs, herb garden, Herbs, herbs and their uses
