Pimpinella anisum (130 days) Open-pollinated. White umbel flowers in July have delicate ornamental value. Seed ripens in August and September—wait until the tips of the fruits turn grey, and collect seeds before they turn black.
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Agastache foeniculum Open-pollinated. Perennial can grow 3' tall, 2' wide. Vigorous self-sower. Anise-scented foliage and purple flowers delightful as a tea or culinary seasoning, or filler in mixed bouquets.
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Agastache foeniculum Open-pollinated. Perennial can grow 3' tall, 2' wide. Vigorous self-sower. Anise-scented foliage and purple flowers are delightful as a tea or culinary seasoning, or filler in mixed bouquets.
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Withania somnifera Open-pollinated. Upright shrub 2' with green-to-yellow flowers ripening to red berries. Roots are dried at the end of the growing season and used internally powdered or tinctured.
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Codonopsis pilosula Open-pollinated. Perennial to Zone 4. Used in Chinese medicine like ginseng, but considerably easier to grow than true Panax ginseng.
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Cuminum cyminum (100-115 days) Open-pollinated. Foliage is fragrant and ferny, somewhat like dill; but unlike dill, plants grow only 1-2'. Annual, takes a long time to mature so start indoors in cold climates.
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Dysphania ambrosioides (55 days) Open-pollinated. Culinary herb native to Central America, often added to beans to deepen flavor and to mitigate flatulence. Sharp and pungent.
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Trigonella foenum-graecum (30 days leaf, 120 days seed) Open-pollinated. Leaf and seeds are used culinarily, imparting a sweet nutty flavor reminiscent of maple syrup. If not pinched back, the plant will
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Pycnanthemum incanum Open-pollinated. A culinary herb, excellent cutflower and pollinator fave! “Mintier than mint” and less likely to spread.
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Hyssopus officinalis Open-pollinated. Perennial. Normally hardy to Zone 3. Beautiful aromatic perennial border plant that produces spikes of indigo flowers.
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Alchemilla mollis Open-pollinated. Perennial. 12-18" Bears large loose sprays of tiny greenish-yellow flowers from early summer onward. Makes a good border and ground cover in shady locations.
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Levisticum officinale (85-95 days) Open-pollinated. Perennial. Umbelliferous, attracts beneficial insects, grows 3-6' and makes a dramatic architectural element in a decorative border.
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Althaea officinalis Open-pollinated. Cousin to the hollyhock, this showy 4–6' plant is used to soothe and soften irritated skin and membranes.
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Silybum marianum Open-pollinated. Named for the bold white splashes on its glossy leaves, said to be from Mary’s milk. Fast-growing 3-5' annual with leaves up to 8x24".
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Dracocephalum moldavica (80 days) Open-pollinated. Annual. Tea and medicine plant with purple-blue flower spikes that bumblebees love. 18" tall.
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Leonurus cardiaca Open-pollinated. Perennial 2–4' plant with dull green leaves and tiny white to purple blooms. Bees love the flowering tops, which are used for tea or herbal tincture.
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Allium cernuum 12" tall. Starry umbels of loosely clustered lavender-pink and sometimes white blossoms nod toward the ground. Flat narrow leaf blades can be used like chives. Z4.
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Mentha pulegium Open-pollinated. Perennial. Hardy aromatic ground cover; plants creep with only the lavender flower stalks rising above the ground.
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Rosmarinus officinalis Open-pollinated. Beloved tender perennial growing to 3-4'. Cannot withstand temperatures below 17°, may be overwintered indoors if kept cool and moist.
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Spilanthes oleracea Open-pollinated. Used as a ground cover in the south, it adds unusual beauty with its low growth habit and its cute yellow flowers with rayless red-orange centers.
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Spilanthes oleracea Open-pollinated. Used as a ground cover in the south, it adds unusual beauty with its low growth habit and its cute yellow flowers with rayless red-orange centers.
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Stevia rebaudiana (100-120 days) Open-pollinated. Stevia is several hundred times sweeter than sugar, and is used fresh, dried, powdered or in a liquid as a sugar substitute.
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Origanum majorana (80-95 days) Open-pollinated. Grown as an annual in the North. 1' plant with grey-green rounded leaves of enchanting sweet fragrance.
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Galium odoratum Open-pollinated. Perennial ground cover for shade. Whorls of pointed vanilla-scented leaves covered with clusters of tiny snowy-white spring flowers. 6-8" tall.
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Hypericum perforatum Open-pollinated. 1-3' perennial hardy to Zone 3. Pretty yellow flower of fields and meadows turns tinctures and oils deep red.
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Lactuca serriola (60 days) Open-pollinated. Readily grows as a spring-sown annual.Young leaves are edible, and the plant can be milked for its medicinal latex.
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Sinapis alba (70-85 days) Open-pollinated. As easy to grow as the leafy mustards. The variety of mustard most familiar to American palates, but pallid without the addition of turmeric.
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Matricaria recutita Open-pollinated. One of the most widely known herbs, powerful yet gentle, long used to promote relaxation. Perhaps a tad less sweet than others.
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Althaea officinalis 5-8' tall. Beautiful towering medicinal plant. Leaves, flowers and mucilagenous roots are used to soothe mucous membranes. Z4.
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Mentha piperita 18-24" tall. Our favorite mint! Bright refreshing peppermint-patty flavor. Freshen your breath, settle your stomach and scent soaps and salves. Z4.
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Pycnanthemum virginianum 30" tall. Makes a tasty minty tea traditionally used to settle indigestion. Spreads readily. Densely flowered, attractive to pollinators. Native. Z4.
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Acorus americanus 24-36" tall. Water-loving bog plant with broad sword-like foliage that smells sweetly of citrus and vanilla when crushed. Roots traditionally used as an aromatic bitter for digestive upsets. Z3.
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Viola sororia 6-10" tall. North American native with cheery blue-purple flowers and attractive heart-shaped leaves, all edible. Larval host plant for multiple species of butterflies. Z3.
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Asarum canadense 6–12" tall. Heart-shaped leaves up to 7" wide spread into a beautiful groundcover. Aromatic roots used medicinally. Needs shade. Z3.
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About medicinal herbs: Archeological evidence dates the medicinal use of herbs back 60,000 years to the Neanderthals. 85% of the world’s population employ herbs as medicines, and 40% of pharmaceuticals in the U.S. contain plant-derived materials. Fewer than 10% of higher plant species have been investigated for their medicinal components. Interest in traditional herbal remedies continues to grow.
Statements about medicinal use of plants have not been evaluated by the FDA, and should not be used for the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any ailment. Before using or ingesting any medicinal plant, consult a healthcare practitioner familiar with botanical medicine.
Takinagawa Burdock and Resina Calendula, as well as oats, mammoth red clover and alfalfa in the Farm Seed section, also have medicinal uses. Medicinal herbs such as black cohosh, licorice, and many more are available as plants, and shipped in the spring with orders from our perennial plants warehouse.
Culture: Some herbs are customarily grown from divisions because they cannot come true from seed, such as scented thymes and flavored mints. Some require fall sowing of fresh seed, such as sweet cicely and angelica.
Using herbs: Drying herbs at home is not difficult. Whole leaves retain their flavor at least a year. To substitute fresh herbs for dried in cooking, use triple the dried quantity called for in a recipe.