Herbs

• Anise Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum): 3' tall perennial with a licorice flavor. The lavender flower heads almost glow and are edible. They also dry nicely for dried arrangements. This plant is sometimes called Licorice Mint .

•  Artemisia, Silver Queen : 2-3' tall hardy perennial. There are many kinds of artemisia for the herb garden; this one is excellent for wreaths and dried arrange­ments. Its silver flower stalks are large and bushy. This plant will spread nicely in your garden so give it lots of room.

•  THE BASILS (Ocimum basilicum): Basil is one of the most well known of the culinary herbs. It is used in many dishes such as tomato dishes, spaghetti, meat marinades and pesto. All but African Blue basil are annuals, and all are lovely enough to grace the flower garden with fragrant bright green or purple foliage.

•  Basil, African Blue : (Ocimum kilimanschaicum x o. basilicum ‘Purpurescens') This basil is a tender perennial, which makes it a wonderful plant in the garden or in a pot in the house. In the garden it grows into a 2-2½' tall bushy plant that is covered with purple flower spikes that are loved by butterflies . While other basils quit producing leaves after flowering, this basil will bloom all summer long and give you lots of tasty leaves for delicious pesto and other dishes.

•  Basil, Dark Opal : 15"-24" annual with shiny deep purple leaves and lavender flowers. Snip it into salads. Makes a beautiful pink vinegar.

•  Basil, Genovese : This basil is reputed to have the classic aroma and flavor prized by gourmets. It is much like the regular “Sweet Basil” but is not quite as sweet.

•  Basil, Lemon (Sweet Dani) : This basil has leaves a little smaller than sweet basil with a delightful lemon flavor. Pesto made with this basil is wonderful!

•  Basil, Lettuce Leaf : The leaves on this basil are large and crinkly like leaf lettuce. The flavor is milder and is good for sandwiches or salad.

•  Basil, Spicy Bush : Compact, regular, mound-shaped plants 6"-8" high and 12"-18" across. Sweet, spicy scent and flavor.

•  Basil, Sweet (Ocimum basilicum): 15"-24" annual. This is the most popular of the basils. Needs full sun. Culinary, medicinal, bath sachet. Plant 18"-24" apart.

•  Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis): Although this tender perennial grows to 40' in mild climates, it is easily grown in a pot for the house. Use to flavor soups and sauces.

•  Borage : 18-30” annual for full sun. This plant bears many edible blue star-shaped flowers. Their mild cucumber flavor add interest to salads. It is also medicinal.

•  Calendula : 24-30” annual for sun to part shade. Also called “pot marigold”. Flowers are edible and used for flavoring salads, eggs, and cheese. Used as a saffron substitute. Culinary, medicinal, and a dye plant.

•  Catnip (Nepeta cataria): 30" perennial for full sun or partial shade. Makes a flavorful tea. Plant in garden to deter flea beetles and ants. Tea makes an effective insect spray. Relaxing bath sachet. Medicinal. Plant 18"-24"apart.

•  Chamomile, Roman (Anthemis nobilis): Low growing perennial ground cover for full sun. Flavorful tea made from white daisy-like flowers. Tea used as insect repellent, stimulating and healing bath, hair rinse for blondes, or sprayed on seedlings to prevent damping off. Can be used as an aromatic lawn planted 6" apart and given lots of water.

•  Chives (Allium schoenoprasum): Hardy perennial to 1' tall to be grown in full sun. Pink flowers in spring make a great addition to salads or make a beautiful pink, chive-flavored vinegar. Culinary use of leaves is well-known. Repels insects in the garden.

•  Chives, Oriental Garlic (Allium tubersum): Grown and used like regular chives. 18" tall with a mild garlic flavor. Has white flowers in the fall that can be dried as an everlasting. Plant 8" apart.

•  Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum): Annual 2' tall. The seeds of this plant are called coriander , while the leaves are more commonly called cilantro or Chinese parsley . This variety is slower to bolt to seed. It is used in Mexican, Chinese, and East Indian cooking. Grow in full sun 9" apart.

•  Citronella Scented Geranium (Pelargonium) : Known as the “Mosquito Plant”, this large scented geranium is said to repel mosquitoes and other biting insects. It is a tender perennial. Grow it in a pot on your patio or plant around the pool to keep you bug free!

•  Comfrey (Symphytum officinale): 3' tall perennial for full sun or partial shade. Leaves and roots make a soothing, astringent bath. Young leaves can be used as a salad or cooked like spinach. A poultice of comfrey leaves reduces swelling. Attractive flowers.

•  Costmary (Chrysanthemum balsamita): 1-3' tall hardy perennial grown in full sun. Minty flavor; used in small amounts in salad. Gives a sweet aroma to linens. Pioneers kept a leaf in their Bibles to repel silverfish, so it has been given the name Bibleleaf .

•  Curry Plant (Helicarysum angustifolium): 2' tall tender perennial. Makes a nice house plant with silvery needle-shaped leaves and yellow flowers. Although it smells like curry power, this plant is not commonly for culinary use. It is a nice addition to potpourri and is used as a moth repellent.

•  Damiana (Turnera diffusa or Turnera aphrodisiaca): Lovely tender perennial plant from South Texas and South America. It has glossy green leaves and bright yellow flowers that are abundant in the hot sunny days of summer. The plant, which grows to about 1½' tall in our climate, loves sun and is very tolerant of dry conditions. Traditionally the plant has been used as an aphrodisiac and has other medical uses. Also used as a flavoring for desserts and a popular liqueur in Mexico.

•  Dill (Anethum graveolens): Annual 2'-3' tall. Seeds used for pickles, relishes, or fish dishes. Leaves (dill-weed) used in many dishes. Full sun.

•  Dittany of Crete (Origanum dictamus): This tender perennial grows about a foot tall with fuzzy gray leaves and drooping pink flower clusters making a perfect plant for a hanging basket. The flowers dry beautifully for dried arrangements.

•  Eucalyptus, Silver Dollar (Eucalyptus cinarea): Tender perennial. Round silvery leaves pierced through center by stems. Dry for everlasting bouquet. Boil in water to scent the house and open the sinuses. Tea can be used as an insect spray to deter mosquitoes and flies, or the leaves can be powdered for an insecticide. It will grow into a small tree if given winter protection, or can be grown as a potted plant in the house.

•  Fennel, Sweet and Bronze (Foeniculum): Both kinds of fennel grow 3-4' tall and are usually grown as annuals, although they often overwinter. The bronze makes a beautiful coppery-purple plant in the garden, and the sweet fennel makes a bulb which is crisp and flavorful. The leaves, seeds, and stems of both varieties are used in salads or for flavoring Italian sausage. Butterflies love them!

•  Fruit-flavored Sages (Salvia elegans): Pineapple Sage and Honey­dew Melon Sage are both tender perennials with bright red flowers. The flowers and leaves are edible and wonderful in fruit salads or tea. These showy, fragrant plants are loved equally by people, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Even though listed as tender peren­nial, the sages overwinter in Northern Oklahoma in all but the most severe winters. Honeydew Sage, which smells like a cantaloupe, grows 12-18" while Pineapple Sage often exceeds 24".

•  Germander 'Summer Sunshine' (Teucrim chamaedrys): This hardy perennial makes a small semi-evergreen shrub that can be severely clipped for edgings, knot gardens, or bonsai. Used medicinally for coughs, sore throats, fevers, upset stomach and gout. Culinary uses include flavoring wines and liqueurs. Prefers full sun.

•  Ground Ivy, Variegated (Glecoma hederacea variegata): Hardy perennial ground cover for shady or moist places. The white-edged leaves are lovely in the shade garden or in a hanging basket. Makes a cooling tea known as “Gill tea” and was formerly used to flavor and clarify ale. Many medicinal uses.

•  Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens): Tender perennial plant for part shade or grown as a houseplant. The extremely fragrant violet-blue flowers are used in perfumery. Also medicinal.

•  Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana): Hardy perennial 3-4' tall. The culinary use of horseradish is well known. It is also used medicinally and its big green leaves make an attractive garden plant. Be sure to plant it where you want it to stay, because if pieces of the root are left in the ground when transplanting it will regrow!

•  Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis): 1-2' tall perennial. This herb makes a small bush that is topped by spikes of purple flowers in the summer. It is often used as a low hedge. The herb is used to flavor beef and wild game and in tea. It has also been used in medicine for sinus problems.

•  Lamb's Ears (Stachys Olympica or lanata): 12"-18" perennial. Space 6" apart for a fuzzy gray ground cover. Makes a mild apple-flavored tea. Also called Woundwort for its use as a mildly astringent absorbent dressing ap­plied to cuts to stop bleeding. Lovely purple flowers on fuzzy gray stalks can be dried as an everlasting.

•  Lavender, English (Lavendula officinalis) Munstead Strain: 1'-3' tall hardy perennial. Flowers used as a stimulating, antiseptic bath, in sachets, and potpourris. The oil, mixed with grain alcohol, makes an effective mosquito repellent. Grow in full sun in well-drained soil and be sure not to over-water.

•  Lavender, French or Fringed (Lavender Dentata) : 3' tender perennial. Used same as English lavender. Lovely, extremely fragrant plant to grow as a potted plant in the house.

•  Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis): 2' hardy perennial. Lovely fresh, bright green plant with delightful lemon scent. De­licious tea; also makes a calming fragrant bath. Plant in full sun 18" apart.

•  Lemon Grass , East Indian (Cymbopogon flexuosus): 18” tropical perennial for the sun. Very strong lemon aroma. Leaves used for flavorings and perfumes. Also medicinal.

•  Lemon Verbena (Lippia citiodora): 3-4' tender perennial shrub. In Oklahoma we grow lemon verbena in a pot, although it has been known to overwinter outside in a mild winter. Its leaves give off the strongest sweet lemon smell of any plant we've found. It is used in many dishes such as marinades, salad dressings, and rice. A tea made with lemon verbena and spearmint is delightful on a hot summer day.

•  Lovage (Levisticum officinale): 3' tall perennials with large spread­ing leaves that somewhat resemble celery in appear­ance and flavor. It can be grown in full sun or partial shade.

•  Marjoram, Sweet (Origanum majorana): 18" tender perennial. A must for flavoring many dishes such as spaghetti sauce and vegetables. Grow in full sun. Makes a calming bath fragrance.

•  MINTS (Mentha): Hardy perennials to be grown in full sun or partial shade. Very prolific, so should be contained. There are a great variety of mints, some more flavorful than others. A perceptive buyer should always choose his mints carefully by smelling and comparing flavors.

•  Candy Mint : This is our favorite peppermint. It has a sweet peppermint-candy scent and makes wonderful tea. No bitter taste.

•  Chocolate Mint : This peppermint tastes just like an after-dinner mint! It's very close in taste to candy mint, but it has a distinct chocolate flavor that adds a special taste to coffee or sugar cookies.

•  Citrus-flavored Bergamot Mints :These Bergamot mints are hard to resist! They actually smell and taste like Lemon , Lime and Orange ! Grow them like the other mints and experiment with them in teas, other beverages, and fruit salads.

•  Corsican Mint : This very low-growing mint with tiny leaves is strongly fragrant. It makes a thick, spongy mat of foliage as it creeps along the ground. Be careful not to over-water, and plant in the shade in well-drained soil. This one is a tender perennial, not hardy. Try growing it for topiary or bonsai groundcover!

•  Grapefruit Mint : A lighter-colored mint with a citrussy grapefruit smell. The leaves are crisp and crinkly.

•  Pineapple Mint (Mentha suaveolens ‘Variegata'): Beautiful white markings on the leaves of this mint make it an outstanding mint for the garden, and it has a sweet fruity flavor.

•  Spearmint : We searched a long time for this wonderful mint! It has the true old-fashioned spearmint flavor that is a must in lemonade or iced tea.

•  Mole Plant or Gopher Purge (Euphorbia lathyris): Biennial. 3' tall. The spiky leaves growing from the tall stem of this plant makes it an attractive addition to the garden and is reputed to chase away bothersome moles. It's worth a try!

•  Monarda, Cambridge Scarlet (Monarda didyma): Also called Bee Balm or Oswego Tea. 18-24” tall hardy perennial for full sun or part shade. Edible red flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Makes a tasty tea. Has been used as a wash to ease the pain of wounds.

•  Oregano, Creeping Golden (Oreganum vulgare 'Aureum'): A hardy spreading plant with attractive yellow leaves. Makes a good ground cover.

•  Oregano, Greek (Oreganum vulgare var.): Hardy perennial, grown in full sun. This oregano is not the common oregano grown from seed. It has the true oregano flavor used in such foods as chili, pizza, stews, and soups. Low mounding plant less than a foot tall with white flowers.

• Oregano, Hot and Spicy (new)

•  Oregano, Italian (Oregano vulgare Italian): Tender perennial with a strong marjoram-like flavor. Much favored for flavoring Italian dishes. Full sun to part shade. Also available in a variegated variety.

•  Parsley, Italian (Petroselinum felicinum): 1' tall biennial. High in vitamin C. Use in buttered potatoes, fish, meats, omelets, and many other dishes.

•  Parsley, Curley (Petroselinum crispum): 1' tall biennial used as a garnish. May be used like Italian parsley, but not as strong a flavor.

•  Patchouli (Pogostemon patchouli): This tender perennial brings back memories of the sixties and seventies and the flower children. It makes a nice house plant and is fairly easy to grow, but it doesn't like to dry out completely. The leaves and flowers, which are small and fragrant but not particularly attractive, are wonderful in potpourri. This plant is not at its most attractive in winter, but when the days lengthen it perks up.

•  Pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium): Low-growing ground cover for shade. Extremely fragrant mint used as mosquito or flea repellent. Rub on skin or clothes to repel mosquitoes; dry and powder in blender for flea powder for pets. Hardy perennial. Not to be taken internally.

•  ROSEMARY (Rosemarinus officinalis): Grows to 5' in mild climates, but grown as a potted plant seldom reaches more than 2'. Most are tender perennial; full sun. A lovely fragrant herb used in many different dishes. Can also be used as a hair rinse for thinning hair, in the bath as a healing stimulant, or as a moth repellent among clothes in drawers and closets.

•  Pink Rosemary : 3' More upright-growing than regular rosemary with smaller leaves and pink flowers.

•  Prostrate Rosemary : Beautiful shiny, dark green foliage cascades dramatically in hanging baskets.

•  ARP Rosemary : Hardiest of all rosemaries. Over-winters for us outside in NE Oklahoma. Seldom bothered with bugs. Vigorous bushy shrub that needs at least a half day of sun and very well-drained location.

•  Hill Hardy Rosemary : This plant was developed by Madeline Hill and is a rival to ARP in hardiness. It is very much like ARP, and is vigorous and attractive.

•  Rue (Ruta graveolens): 1-3' tall musky-smelling, semi-evergreen shrub. The strong smell of this herb is either loved or hated! But no one can deny that the blue-green foliage is very attractive. USE CAUTION with this herb until you determine if you are allergic to it or not. Some people have reactions similar to poison ivy. A must for the butterfly garden.

•  SAGE (Salvia officinalis): 1'- 2' tall perennial for full sun. Lovely gray-green foliage on a mounding shrub. Cut back halfway in early spring. Used for flavoring sausage, poultry stuffing, pork, liver, and fish. Makes a stim­ulating, astringent bath additive.

•  Sage, Berggarten :This variety has larger, rounder leaves than regular garden sage and makes a very attractive plant.

•  Sage, Golden : More compact than garden sage, this makes a lovely house plant. Same flavor as garden sage.

•  Sage, Purple : Same growth habit and use as regular sage but with soft purple foliage that looks great in the garden.

•  Sage, Tricolor : As with purple sage, this is a perennial and grows 18"-24" tall. Its foliage is a mix of reddish-purple, green and white - a lovely plant.

•  Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor): This old-fashioned herb is a hardy perennial that grows in full sun 1-2' tall. Its leaves give a cucumber flavor to salads and dressings. Be sure to use the newer inner leaves because the older leaves become bitter.

•  Santolina : 1 '-2' tall. Santolinas make attractive low hedges if planted in well drained soil in full sun. They are hardy perennials used as moth repellents.

•  Green Santolina (Santolina viridis): Green leaves with yellow flowers.

•  Gray Santolina (Santolina chamaecyparissus): Gray leaves with yellow flowers dry well for wreaths. Also called Lavender Cotton .

•  Savory, Winter (Satureia montana): 1' hardy perennial. Sometimes called the bean herb for its use to flavor bean dishes. Its peppery taste goes well in poultry stuffing and potato salad. It also deters Mexican bean beetles and fleas. Grow in full sun.

•  Scented Geraniums (Pelargonium spp.): Scented geraniums come in a great variety of shapes and scents, and have many different growth habits and colors of flowers. They are used in potpourris, sachets, bath scents, jellies, and even used for cooking. Use scented geraniums in your flower garden and enjoy the pungent fragrances as you rub against them. Varieties include rose, lemon, apple, coconut, and peppermint, to name a few.

•  Sorrel, French (Rumex scutatus): Hardy perennial 18-24" tall grown for its tangy spear-shaped leaves. They add a lemony flavor to salads or cooked dishes. This herb is much sought after by gourmets.

•  Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum): 3' tall perennial for full sun. Feathery green foliage used dried, mixed with worm­wood and lavender to perfume your closet and repel moths. Use as an insect repellent spray. We grow both regular Southernwood and a more potent-smelling Camphor Southernwood , which has a grayer foliage.

•  Spilanthes (Toothache Plant): This delightful tender perennial causes numbing of the mouth when chewed, and is therefore useful for toothaches! It is also said to have anti-viral and anti-fungal qualities. Strangely enough, it's reputed to be tasty in salads. Hmmmm. The red and gold “gumdrop” blossoms are eye-catchers in the garden. Grows to about a foot tall in full or part sun.

•  Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana): 18-24” tender perennial for sun or part shade. Incredibly sweet leaves are an herbal sweetener which has been used for hundreds of years in South America as a sugar substitute. This is a much-sought-after herb.

•  Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) and Fern-leaf Tansy (T. vulgare var. crispum): Both tansy varieties are hardy perennials that do best in full sun. The yellow button-shaped flowers dry well for everlasting arrangements. Tansy grows to 5' tall, while Fern-leaf tansy has more delicate-looking foliage and grows to 18-24" tall. There are recipes using this plant, and it does have medicinal value, but it is poisonous and should not be taken internally. It does repel insects and is a lovely ornamental. Just remember that common tansy spreads rapidly and can be invasive.

•  Tarragon, French (Artemisia dracunculus): 2' tall hardy perennial grown in full sun in well-drained soil. This is true French tarragon grown only from cuttings or root divisions. It has many uses in cooking, from vinegars and salad dressings to flavoring meats.

•  THYMES : There are a number of different thymes available and it is hard to resist adding a few new ones each year! All have small leaves and like well-drained soil. They are very sensitive to over-watering. Raised beds are perfect for thyme gardens. Grow in full sun.

•  Brittanicus Thyme : This is one if the fastest spread­

•  Caraway Thyme : The fragrance of this thyme is delightful, and it is also an attractive deep green color and makes a thick spreading mat.

•  Coconut Thyme : One of the lowest-growing thymes, this plant makes a lovely carpet of small green leaves with tiny pink flowers in summer. It is a hardy perennial that changes to a purplish bronze in fall. It also makes a lovely basket that reminds me of baby's tears and can be used to add a lemony coconut flavor to cooking.

•  Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum): Low-growing ground cover. Great for rock gardens and around stepping stones. Makes a carpet of pink flowers in spring.

•  Elfin Thyme : This tiny-leaved thyme makes a thick, fast-growing mat that is rugged enough to be tucked between stepping stones.

•  English or Garden Thyme (Thymus vulgaris): 12" tall, woody perennial used extensively in cooking. In the past it was used as a disinfectant and makes an anti­septic, skin-toning bath.

•  Golden Lemon Thyme : This variety of lemon thyme is beautiful! It has bright yellow edges to the leaves and is very fragrant.

•  Lemon Thyme (Thymus citriodorus): 12" tall, bright green foliage with a delightful fragrance. Tastes great with many different kinds of foods.

• Lime Thyme (New)

•  Oregano Thyme : Get the flavors of both thyme and oregano with this hardy, vigorous creeping thyme. Pink flowers.

•  Silver Thyme : This thyme has white edges on each tiny leaf, giving it a silver glow. It is fast growing and hardy and can be used in cooking like garden thyme.

•  Spicy Orange Thyme : Hardy perennial that makes a dense mat of moss-like foliage with tiny pink flowers. Emits an orange-spice fragrance when walked on. Can be used in cooking or potpourri. Prefers full sun and well-drained soil.

•  Vicks Plant (Plectranthus purpuratus): Tender perennial that makes an easy to grow houseplant or interesting foliage plant in the garden. Fleshy foliage emits the medicinal fragrance of the familiar cold remedy.

•  Viola - Johnny Jump-Up : We have chosen this violet because of its herbal use. It is called Heart's Ease by herbalists. Besides, its purple, white, and yellow flowers bloom all summer in the shade. The flowers are as delightful to look at as they are to eat!

•  Woodruff, Sweet (Asperula odorata): 6"-1' hardy perennial. Grow in the shade in soil to which peat moss has been added. Makes a lovely crisp ground cover with white flowers in the spring. Used to flavor May Wine. Smells like new-mown hay when dry.

•  Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium): 3-5' tall hardy perennial. This plant grows large and should be planted in the back of the garden and given lots of room. It has been said that the plant inhibits growth of plants around it from some chemical reaction in the soil. I don't know if this is true or if it just shades out other plants! The herb is the one used to flavor the now illegal liqueur absinthe, so should not be taken internally. But it will drive off moths in your closets! It is also used in dried arrangements.

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