Herbs Encyclopedia

Complete Guide to 194 Herb Species — from basil and rosemary to medicinal ashwagandha and wild-foraged nettles — with expert growing guides, USDA zones, care calendars, and culinary tips.

Culinary Leafy Herbs

Soft-stemmed herbs prized for their tender, aromatic leaves. From basil and parsley to cilantro and dill, these fast-growing annuals and tender perennials are kitchen essentials across world cuisines.

Culinary Woody Herbs

Shrubby, woody-stemmed herbs with evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage. Rosemary, thyme, sage, and bay laurel are Mediterranean staples that thrive in well-drained soil and offer year-round harvesting.

Mint Family

Members of the Lamiaceae family with square stems and opposite leaves. From spearmint and peppermint to lemon balm and bee balm, these vigorous growers are valued for teas, cooking, and aromatherapy.

Aromatic Herbs

Herbs grown primarily for their essential oils and fragrance. Lavender, chamomile, and helichrysum are used in perfumery, potpourri, herbal remedies, and as ornamental garden plants.

Alliums

The onion family — chives, garlic, leeks, and their relatives. These pungent, bulb-forming herbs are fundamental flavouring ingredients and some of the oldest cultivated plants in human history.

Medicinal Herbs

Herbs with documented traditional or evidence-based therapeutic properties. From echinacea and valerian to ashwagandha and gotu kola, these plants bridge folk medicine and modern phytotherapy.

Edible Flowers

Herbs and plants grown for their ornamental, edible blooms. Nasturtiums, violets, calendula, and elderflower add colour, flavour, and garnish to salads, drinks, and desserts.

Tea Herbs

Herbs specifically cultivated for brewing tisanes and herbal infusions. Chamomile, hibiscus, lemongrass, and rooibos provide caffeine-free beverages with distinctive flavours and health benefits.

Asian Herbs

Culinary herbs central to Asian cuisine traditions. Lemongrass, Thai basil, shiso, wasabi, and Vietnamese coriander bring distinctive flavours that define dishes across the continent.

Wild Forage

Edible wild plants and weeds with culinary or medicinal value. Nettles, dandelion, sorrel, and chickweed have been foraged for millennia and are experiencing a renaissance in modern gastronomy.

Citrus Encyclopedia

194 citrus species with expert growing guides and care calendars.

Rose Encyclopedia

300 rose species & cultivars with expert growing guides and care calendars.