A B C D E F L M O P R S T W

‘Herb’ has had many different meanings over time. Now the definition has been broadened to include all that are of use for diverse purposes as flavoring foods and beverages, for medicinal purposes, as pest repellents, room  deodorizers, for use in perfumes and cosmetics, or for dyeing cloth and fibers. *Note: Herbs are listed as being an Annual (A), Biennial (B), or Perennial (P). Herbs perform best in full sun to light shade with well-drained soil.

Assorted Varieties:       804 Pak/8 per flat

Perennial Assortment
For the chef who loves cooking with herbs. This pak includes Oregano, Peppermint ,Curly Parsley and Garden Sage.
Basil Assortment
Basil is a very versatile herb that can be used with tomatoes, fish, eggs, or any savory dish. Pak includes Genovese, Red Rubin, Spicy Globe and Lettuce Leaf.

Basil (A) baz-el:          4” Terra Cotta/18 per flat

An annual herb of the mint family, native to India and Iran. The dried large-leaf varieties have a fragrant aroma faintly reminiscent of anise, and a warm, sweet, aromatic, mildly pungent flavor. The dried leaves of common basil are less fragrant and more pungent in flavor. Basil is widely grown as a kitchen herb. Tea made from basil leaves is a stimulant. The heart-shaped basil leaf is a symbol of love in Italy.

Assorted:                         804 Pak/8 per flat
Assortment of Lettuce Leaf, Genovese, Red Rubin, and Spicy Globe.
Amethyst Improved:      4" Terra Cotta/18per flat
Almost black. Thick turned down leaves like the classic Genovese. 16-20" tall.
Genovese:                        4" Terra Cotta/18per flat
Traditional sweet Italian-type basil grows 8-10” tall. Great for cooking, also has medicinal properties.
Lettuce Leaf:                   4" Terra Cotta/18per flat
Rapid growing variety has larger, lighter leaves with a ruffled appearance.
Lime:                                 4" Terra Cotta/18per flat
Sweet lime scent and flavor, pink flowers. Grows to 12” tall.
Nufar:                                4" Terra Cotta/18per flat
Large ‘Genovese’ variety sweetly flavored. Great resistance to fusarium wilt. 24” tall.
Siam Queen:                   4" Terra Cotta/18per flat
Very vigorous, large-leafed Thai type. Spicy and very aromatic. 26-30" tall.

Catnip (P) kat-nip:                   4” Black/18 per flat       Zone 3       Height: 24-36"      Bloom Time: June-August

Upright plants reach 24-36” tall with serrated leaves. Just a pinch or two will be enough to elicit a change in cat behavior. Catnip buds are the most potent form of catnip (next to the essential oil itself!). Use as a tea. Can repel bugs.

Chervil (A) chur-veil:         4” Terra Cotta/18 per flat

Low foliage mounds reach 12” in diameter. 12-24” flower stems are topped with white blossoms. The  leaves have a parsley-like flavor with overtones of anise. Most frequently it is used to flavor eggs, fish, chicken, light sauces and dressings. It also combines well with mild cheeses and is a tasty addition to herb butters.

Chives (P)                 4” Black/18 per flat        Zone 5       Height: 12"      Bloom Time: May-June

Onion flavored grass-like leaves have bug repellent properties; believed to keep aphids away. Edible purple flowers.

Cilantro/Coriander (A) sill-an-tro/kor-ee-an-door            4” Terra Cotta/18 per flat

Two herbs in one! The primary use for cilantro is the leaves. 18” tall plants have broad medium green highly aromatic leaves used for salsa and oriental cooking. The edible seed is known as coriander. Coriander roots are often used fresh as a base flavor for Asian soups.

Dill (A) dil                             4” Terra Cotta/18 per flat

Fernleaf: Upright plants reach 12-36” with airy flower heads. Freshly cut, chopped leaves enhance the flavor of dips, herb butter, soups, fish dishes, and salads. The seeds are used in pickling and can also improve the taste of roasts, stews and vegetables. Try grinding the seeds to use as a salt substitute. Both the flowering heads and seeds are used in flavored vinegars and oils.

Epazote (A) eh-paw-zoh-the       4” Terra Cotta/18 per flat

Epazote is an annual herb native to Mexico. The reddish colored stems are covered with small, sharply toothed leaves. Epazote bears numerous small yellow flowers. Like Cilantro it is an acquired taste. Widely used in bean dishes, it is purported to help reduce flatulence.

Fennel (A) fin-al:           4” Terra Cotta/18 per flat

Florence: Tall, upright airy leaves reach 60”. Fennel leaves are used in French and Italian cuisine in sauces for fish, and in mayonnaise. In Italy fennel is also used to season pork roasts and spicy sausages. It is traditionally considered one of the best herbs for fish dishes. The English use fennel seeds in almost all fish dishes, especially as a court bouillon for poaching fish and seafood. It is also used to flavor breads and cakes.

Lavendula (P) la-van-dew-la

Lavender is part of the mint family; the needles, leaves, and flowers of which contain scented oil glands. To keep plants compact, prune soon after flowering. Little to no fertilization required. Very drought tolerant.

'Grosso’:   4” Purple/18 per flat         Zone 5       Height: 24-36"      Bloom Time: July-August
Plump, violet-blue flower spikes fill the air with their sweet fragrance from late summer into early fall. It's long flower stems make this variety especially good for use in bouquets. Grosso tends to bloom a bit later in the summer with a possible repeat bloom towards fall. These hybrids were first developed in France for use in perfumes and essential oils.
'Jean Davis’:                 4” Purple/18 per flat        Zone 5       Height: 10-18"      Bloom Time: July-August
Pale pinkish white flower spikes fill the air with their sweet, intoxicating fragrance all summer long. Instead of the usual silvery foliage, this variety has blue-green leaves which provide a beautiful backdrop for the flowers.
'Munstead’:                  4” Black/18 per flat           #1 Black/8 per flat        Zone 5       Height: 18"      Bloom Time: May-August
Rich lavender flower spikes fill the air with their sweet, intoxicating fragrance all summer long. Though this cultivar was introduced to the trade in 1916, it remains one of the most popular today. It's compact habit and relatively short stature makes it a good choice for edging. This is often said to be the hardiest variety of all Lavender.

Lavender (A) stoechas       4” Purple/18 per flat

‘Boysenberry Ruffles’: Striking musky pink flowers with swirling white centers on gray green foliage.
‘Strawberry Ruffles’: Pink ruffled bracts with a nice compact habit.

Lemon Balm (P)                 4” Black/18 per flat    Zone 4       Height: 30-36"      Bloom Time: Mid Summer

Citrus scented, crinkled, dull-green leaves with white blossoms. It is a vigorous plant and the foliage is often used as a flavoring in ice cream, both hot and iced herbal teas, fruit dishes and candies, wonderful in salads, or as a garnish. Prized for centuries for it's simultaneous calming and uplifting properties.

Marjoram (P) mar-jar-um      4” Black/18 per flat

One of the ‘must have’ herbs in any culinary garden. Adds zest to soups, stews and salads. Often confused with oregano, marjoram is sweeter and milder. Medicinal properties.

Mint (P)

There are several varieties of mint. They can spread very quickly and some people prefer to keep them confined in containers. The leaves are used for flavoring, mint sauce and drinks.

Apple:                           4” Purple/18 per flat      Zone 5       Height: 18-24"      Bloom Time: Mid Summer to Early Fall
Plants reach 18” with light green, fuzzy leaves. Sweet apple scent and flavor. Excellent addition to fruit salads or beverages. Apple mint grows well in containers.
Chocolate:                   4” Purple/18 per flat      Zone 3       Height: 12-18"      Bloom Time: Late spring to Mid Summer
MMmm – Junior Mints! Bronzy peppermint-like foliage combines the fragrance of peppermint and chocolate. Pink  flowers in summer. Reaches 16” and spreads 24”.
Orange:                       4” Purple/18 per flat       Zone 3       Height: 18-24"      Bloom Time: Mid Summer
Strong refreshing orange aroma. Quickly becoming one of the most popular mints in gardens.
Peppermint:               4” Black/18 per flat         Zone 3       Height: 12-18"      Bloom Time: Late Spring to Mid Summer
Traditional mint plant reaches 12-36”. Great for flavoring foods and beverages. Medicinal properties.
Spearmint:                 4” Black/18 per flat         Zone 3       Height: 18-24"      Bloom Time: Mid Summer
Leaves have strong spearmint fragrance. Great for all-around flavoring, especially with lamb, in a tall Mint Julep or shake it up with a Mojito.

Oregano (P) o-reg-a-no

Oregano is often known as "the pizza herb" because it seems to be the main flavoring ingredient in many commercial pizza sauces. It has many other culinary uses, especially in Italian, Mexican and Greek cuisine. It is often paired with basil in pasta and tomato dishes. Oregano has the ability to cross-pollinate with other members of the species, including marjoram. Because of this it is wise to plant different varieties of oregano a long distance from each other if you wish to keep your varieties "pure". Another technique to prevent cross-pollination by bees is to harvest the plants before they flower. Give oregano  lots of room to grow, full sun, good drainage, moderately fertile soil and be rewarded with an abundance of wonderful foliage and flavor.

aureum ‘Variegata’:          4” Purple/18 per flat      Zone 4     Height: 12"          Bloom Time: Late Summer/Early Fall
This plant spreads to about 18” and reaches 4-12” in height. The leaves are small and splashed with gold. Variegated oregano has a subtle mild flavor that won’t overwhelm Italian dishes and vegetables.
Common:                              4” Black/18 per flat       Zone 5      Height: 18-24"      Bloom Time: Mid Summer
Plants have small, round aromatic leaves with tiny white flowers appearing late July.  Use for medicinal purposes in the herbal bath for aching muscles and joints.
Hot & Spicy:                        4” Purple/18 per flat      Zone 7      Height: 18-24"      Bloom Time: Mid Summer
One of the most potent of Greek oregano. Has a strong, spicy flavor and a sprawling habit. Makes a pleasing ornamental plant. Great for culinary uses. Fresh or dried, this plant adds real zip-zing to sauces and chili.

Parsley (B) par-sle

Parsley is a bright green herb used as a seasoning or as a garnish. All the different varieties of parsley are excellent  sources of Vitamin C. Known as a healing herb since the ancient times, parsley leaves are crushed and applied on bruises and inflammations. Adds a clean fresh flavor and a decorative color to almost any dish.

Curly Q:                         4” Black/18 per flat
Plant reaches a height of 15” and has highly ruffled, serrated green leaves. Very nutritious.
Italian:                             4” Black/18 per flat
Plants reach 12-24” in height with flat, serrated leaves. Parsley is a favorite flavoring in stuffing, soups, stews, marinades, and salads; better flavor when chopped fresh.

Rosemary (A) roze-mare-e       4” Purple/18 per flat

Rosemary is an evergreen shrub native to the Mediterranean coast but now cultivated worldwide for ornamental, culinary, medicinal and perfumery purposes. Rosemary has impressive healing properties as a nerve tonic, to restore energy levels after a period of prolonged stress. Rosemary is excellent to bring indoors for winter.

Creeping:
Fast creeping semi-evergreen plant only reaches 6” in height with small purple flowers. A fun choice for containers and hanging baskets. Use in sauces, dressings and marinades.
Upright(P):
Woody perennial with needle-like dark green leaves and pale blue flowers. Light aroma. A fun choice for topiaries or containers. Medicinal purposes includes the easing of headaches and migraines, improve concentration and memory.

Ruta (Rue) (P) roo-ta           4” Black/18 per flat      Zone 4 Height: 30"      Bloom Time: June-August

Full sun perennial enjoys tough garden conditions. This is a somewhat shrubby hardy evergreen with yellowish green flowers and blue ferny foliage. Used mostly for ornamental purposes.

Sage (P) saaj

Herb of the Year 2001. Sage is an aromatic, rather woody perennial shrub that grows to about 2 feet tall. The pebbly, slightly fuzzy, oval leaves up to 5" long vary in color from gray to gray-green, purple or golden. The camphor-scented, bluish-lavender flowers are borne on spike-like stems. It's soft-colored foliage and profusion of lovely purple-blue flower spikes blend beautifully into any herb garden.

Berggarten:             4’ Purple/18 per flat     Zone 5      Height: 24"      Bloom Time: Insignificant
An excellent culinary sage with an abundance of large, silvery-green round leaves.  Great flavor for stuffing, sauces,  and seasoning mixes.  Makes a great ornamental choice as well.
Garden:                     4” Black/18 per flat     Zone 5      Height: 12"      Bloom Time: June-August
Woody evergreen with soft gray-green or purple leaves. Great in meat dishes. Today, sage is taken as a remedy for sore throats, poor digestion, and canker sores.
Golden:                     4” Purple/18 per flat    Zone 5      Height: 24"      Bloom Time: June-August
Golden sage produces quantities of striking green and yellow leaves that appear to glow in the dark! Use in meat  dishes or as an ornamental in containers.
Tri-color:                 4” Purple/18 per flat     Zone 5      Height: 24"      Bloom Time: June-August
Green leaves edged in white with rose streaks. Although it is edible, its main use is as an ornamental in the garden.

Savory (A) sa-va-re

Summer:      4” Terra Cotta/18 per flat
Highly aromatic leaves on 18” plants with small, pale flowers. Savory, which has a distinctive peppery flavor, is added to stuffings, pork and sausages. Fresh sprigs of it, may be boiled with beans and green peas, in the same manner as mint. It is also boiled with dried peas in making pea-soup. It has been used as a substitute for parsley and chervil as a garnish.

Sorrel (A) sor-el

French:    4” Terra Cotta/18 per flat
Sorrel is a popular vegetable in France, The flavor is somewhat acidic, reminiscent of citrus fruit, and therefore it is often used in cream sauce or fresh in salads with vinaigrette. Also makes a great soup, but is at its best as a sauce for poached salmon!

Stevia rebaudiana (P)   stev-ee-uh      4” Purple/18 per flat    Zone 5      Height: 12"      Bloom Time: June-August

Stevia is nature's sweet gift to all of us. This remarkable plant, from the rainforests of Paraguay, is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar, does not affect blood sugar levels, and has no calories. It is nutritious, noncarcenogenic, nontoxic, and is said to be safe for diabetics and hypoglycemics. The plant produces slightly serrated leaves on long stems. The white flowers are small and delicate. Stevia makes a nice flowering garden plant.

Tarragon (P) tar-a-gone

French:         4” Purple/18 per flat      Zone 5      Height: 36"      Bloom Time: Insignificant
A staple of almost every kitchen herb garden. French tarragon is a hardy perennial that produces masses of long narrow, aromatic foliage. Foliage is rich in vitamins and can be used in a variety of recipes and vinegars, sauces, butters, and preserves. Medicinally used for its minerals and vitamins, as a sedative, appetite stimulant and as a digestive tonic.

Thyme (P) time   See perennials for other listing of Thyme.

Herb of the Year 1997. Thyme is a beautiful, pungent, and resilient herb. Thymus is one of the earliest known plants in the world of culinary herbs, holding significant notoriety in the areas of personal health and medicinal uses, sacred rites and practices, and historical facts and folklore.

English:                          4” Black/18 per flat      Zone 4      Height: 12"      Bloom Time: June-August
Traditional culinary favorite. Highly fragrant tiny leaves cover 6-12” plants. Great in potpourri.
Summer (A):                         4” Black/18 per flat
Aromatic Summer Thyme has more narrow, pointed leaves with a bit of a gray tint. The famed culinary thyme from France, it is higher in essential oil content than other varieties which means more and better flavor.

Watercress (P)                   4” Black/18 per flat

A hardy perennial found in abundance near springs and open running watercourses.  Watercress has a creeping habit with smooth, 6-8” rosettes of dark green glossy rounded leaves. Easy to grow.