HERBS

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ALOE Aloe vera

A useful kitchen plant, not for cooking but for treating the burns that inevitably occur. Good for sunburn, too, and insect bites. Tender perennial.

 

 

ARNICA Arnica chamissonis

Arnica's pretty orange colored flowers have been used medicinally in homeopathic medicines for sprains and bruises. 15" tall. Zone 4.

 

 

ARUGULA (ROCKET) Arugula

Spicy, tender leaf that is delicious in salads. Annual.

 

 

BASIL, ITALIAN LARGE LEAF Ocimum basilicum 'Italian Large Leaf'

This is the one for the pesto lovers. Sweet, high-yielding basil. Large leaves make it easy to harvest. Annual.

 

 

BASIL, OSMIN PURPLE Ocimum basilicum 'Osmin Purple'

Has the darkest purple leaves of any basil available. Lilac-pink flowers. Colorful addition to salads, perfect for basil vinegar, a nice touch with sliced tomatoes. Decorative addition to pots and baskets, too. Annual.

 

 

BASIL, PESTO PERPETUO Ocimum basilicum 'Pesto Perpetuo'

A variegated basil! The light green leaves have a white edge. Very attractive in containers. Good flavor, midway between lemon and Genovese basil. A vigorous variety good to bring inside to grow through the fall and winter. Patented, so more expensive, but worth it. 2' tall.

 

 

BASIL, RED RUBIN Ocimum basilicum 'Red Rubin'

Biggest leaves of any purple basil, the color is a beautiful reddish-purple.

 

 

BASIL, THAI Ocimum basilicum 'Thai'

Spicy anise-clove flavor. The best for Thai curry.

 

 

BASIL,CINNAMON Ocimum basilicum 'Cinnamon'

Slight overtones of cinnamon make this basil an excellent addition to the herb garden. One of the best for spaghetti sauce.

 

 

BAY Laurus nobilis

An evergreen shrub that adapts well to life in a pot here in Colorado. Not cold hardy. We put ours outside in part shade in early summer and bring it in around the first of September. Bay leaves are much better fresh than the dried (old) leaves you find at the grocery. Good in soups, stews, tomato sauces, and many roast meats.Limited supply available.

 

 

CATNIP Nepeta cataria

Gray-green leaves, white flowers; a kitty perennial favorite. Also used as a tea for colicky babies. This member of the mint family is very hardy. It has naturalized in Rye, and much of the West; brought by settlers in the

1800's.

 

 

CHIVES Allium schoenoprasum

Yummy mild onion flavor. Easy to grow. Pretty lavender flowers.

 

 

CILANTRO/CORIANDER Coriandrum sativum

If you eat the seeds, it's called coriander; if you eat the leaves it's called cilantro. We're growing a variety that is slow to bolt, thus extending the time you can harvest the leaves.

 

 

COMFREY Symphytum officinale

Comfrey has been used as a healing herb since ancient times. Greeks and Romans used comfrey to stop bleeding, treat bronchial problems, and heal broken bones. We have neighbors who use it in a poultice for their horses. Zone 4.

 

 

CUBAN OREGANO Coleus amboinicus

Succulent foliage looks great in containers, baskets, etc. Used for seasoning in the caribbean; used in Southeast Asia to treat asthma and bronchitis. Must be grown indoors in winter.

 

 

DILL Anethum graveolens

We are growing a variety that is slower to go to seed and very productive. Great for mixing in green salads, or to top potato salads. Essential when making DILL pickles. Annual.

 

 

FENNEL, BRONZE Foeniculum vulgare 'Smokey'

Bronze-colored fennel is as decorative as it is tasty. Leaves and seeds used in cooking. 2'-3'. Hardy perennial.

 

 

FRENCH TARRAGON Artemisia dracunculus

Vegetatively propagated, our tarragon has a delicious anise flavor. Perennial.

 

 

GARLIC CHIVES Allium tuberosum

Sometimes called Chinese chives, the flat leaves and definite but mild garlic flavor distinguish it from "regular" chives. 12" tall. Pretty white flowers. Perennial.

 

 

GOJI BERRY Lycium barbarum

This 8 ft. tall Chinese shrub with small purple/blue flowers & red fruits. The mildly sweet edible fruits can be eaten fresh or dried. These fruits have the highest level of anti oxidants of any food plant & are extensively used in the treatment of cancers in China. Also known as WOLFBERRY or MATRIMONY VINE (for its claim to cure impotence.) Zone 5.

 

 

HYSSOP Hyssopus officinalis

Although it has been used for cooking and medicine in the past, it was also used ornamentally. According to Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs, the Elizabethans pruned it and used it to edge knot gardens. The violet flowers are pretty in summer. Xeric. 2' tall.

 

 

LAVENDER, DWARF WHITE Lavandula angustifolia 'Nana Alba'

An excellent lavender for a rock garden. Very slow growing with clear white flowers. 10" tall. Zone 5.

 

 

LAVENDER, HIDCOTE Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote Blue'

Dark lavender flowers bloom profusely in midsummmer. Seed grown strain. Zone 5.

 

 

LAVENDER, MISS KATHERINE Lavandula angustifolia 'Miss Katherine'

NEW. A pink flowered lavender with dark rose veining on each petal. Good fragrance. Zone 5.

 

 

LAVENDER, PROVENCE Lavandula x intermedia 'Provence'

This plant is taller and later blooming than the L. angustifolia varieties. It has a sweet fragrance and is often used in cooking, including the classic Herbs de Provence. The long stems are good for bouquets and for crafts. Like all lavenders it does not want to be in a soggy, icy area in the winter. Plant on a mound, in a rock garden, or any area where the crown is free from constant winter moisture. Zone 5, but not as hardy as the English lavenders.

 

 

LAVENDER, ROYAL VELVET Lavandula angustifolia 'Royal Velvet'

Longest-stemmed of the English lavenders. Long-blooming, too. 24" tall.

 

 

LAVENDER, SILVER FROST Lavandula angustifolia 'Silver Frost'

Very silvery foliage and dark blue flowers. One of the best lavenders for ornamental use.

 

 

LEMON BALM Melissa officinalis

Lemon flavor makes this great for garnishing iced drinks or salads. Has also been used medicinally to bring down a high fever. Insignificant white flowers. 2' tall. Hardy perennial.

 

 

LEMON BALM, GOLDEN Melissa officinalis 'Golden'

Golden foliage makes this an interesting variation on an old favorite.

 

 

LEMON GRASS Cymbopogon citratus

Strong lemon flavor; used for cooking, tea, and medicinally. A tender perennial, it does fine in the garden in the summer, but you must bring it inside for the winter. 3' tall.

 

 

LEMON VERBENA Aloysia triphylla

The most aromatic of the lemon scented herbs, this shrubby South American native is a wonderful plant for tea and an even more wonderful plant for potpourri. Keeps its scent for months after drying. Bring inside for the winter.

 

 

LICORICE GRASS Acorus gramineus 'Licorice'

Evergreen leaves in broad fans have a sweet licorice scent when crushed. This Asian native is great in a water garden, ponds or bogs, as well as in a shade garden in moist soil. Planting depth in water 1". Leaves are used in Thai cooking. According to various online references, "Thai Buddhist herbalists recommend it for 'awareness blockage' to assist the mind in achieving nirvana." 12" x 12". Zone 5.

 

 

MARJORAM Origanum majorana

This sweet relative of oregano is delicious with tomatoes, in stews and soups, beans, potatoes, and eggs, and used to flavor vinegar. It is also a gentle antiseptic, good in baths and tonics for the skin. Used for wreaths and bouquets, it signifies undying love. Grow as an annual.

 

 

MINT, APPLE Mentha rotundifolia

Fuzzy, round leaves with light apple fragrance.

 

 

MINT, BANANA Mentha 'Banana'

On a hot sunny day it smells just like bananas. Low-growing, could be used as a ground cover. 6"-8" tall. Zone 5.

 

 

MINT, BASIL Mentha spp.

This mint doesn't really taste or smell much like basil, but that's its name. It is slightly spicy and might make a nice addition to pesto. Zone 4.

 

 

MINT, CANDY Mentha sp. 'Candy'

Much like Chocolate Mint, this peppermint variety is very sweet. Great for iced tea. Zone 4.

 

 

MINT, CHOCOLATE Mentha x piperita

Think "Peppermint Patty" when you bite into this one.

 

 

MINT, LIME Mentha spp.

Lime scent & flavor. Add a few leaves to lemonade to create a special treat. Shiny dark leaves.

 

 

MINT, PINEAPPLE Mentha suaveolens 'Variegata'

Good with asian dishes. Nice addition to fruity desserts.

 

 

MINT, SPEARMINT Mentha spicata

Used for mint juleps, mint jelly, and tea.

 

 

OREGANO Origanum vulgare humulis

A smaller more compact oregano with deep purple flowers. Great in the rock garden or the front of the herb garden.

 

 

OREGANO, GREEK Origanum heracleoticum

Great culinary oregano. This is the true Greek Oregano, seed originally from the mountains of Greece. White flowers. Like many herbs it prefers a dry, even rocky, soil like its native Mediterranean.

 

 

OREGANO, ITALIAN Origanum onites

Best tasting. Sweet and spicy. Zone ?

 

 

OREGANO, TURKISH Origanum tyttanthum

This oregano is one of the very best flavored oreganos for cooking. Sadly, it's not so easy to propagate. Someday we'll have enough of this plant to feature it in the newsletter and then everyone will know how tasty it is. Pale pink or white flowers. 18" tall. Zone 5.

 

 

PARSLEY, CURLY Petroselinum crispum

Parsley contains iron, magnesium and iodine! And it's a breath freshener. If you overdid it on the garlic, a bite or two of fresh parsley is the cure. Pretty curled leaves make this a nice version to edge a formal herb garden or to tuck into pots and baskets. Biennial.

 

 

PARSLEY, ITALIAN Petroselinum neapolitanum

Excellent flavor makes this the chef's choice fresh or dried. Biennial.

 

 

ROSEMARY, ARP Rosmarinus officinalis 'Arp'

Rosemary is not usually considered hardy in Colorado, but some gardeners have had it survive for many years in a protected spot. If you want to try growing it outside all year, plant it near a wall, the east or west side of your house, or near a big rock. Once established in the garden, it's very drought tolerant. Or, if you prefer, you can keep it in a pot and bring it inside for the winter. 'Arp' might be hardier than others, the jury is still out.

 

 

ROSEMARY, BLUE SPIRES Rosmarinus officinalis 'Blue Spires'

Nice blue flowers. It produces lots of strong stems for cooking.

 

 

ROSEMARY, HILL HARDY Rosmarinus 'Hill Hardy'

An upright form, hardy to -10 F. Try this in a sheltered area of your garden and you might be surprised to find you can grow rosemary outside through the winters. Zone??

 

 

ROSEMARY, TUSCAN BLUE Rosmarinus officinalis 'Tuscan Blue'

Bushy and upright form, with deep blue flowers and large leaves.

 

 

SAGE, BATH Salvia officinalis 'Sage of Bath'

Silvery-green foliage and pretty pink flowers make this edible sage a delight in the herb garden.

 

 

SAGE, BERGGARTEN Salvia officinalis 'Berggarten'

Large round gray leaves make this an attractive plant in the landscape as well as a delicious seasoning in the kitchen. 24" tall.

 

 

SAGE, GOLDEN Salvia officinalis 'Icterina'

This one is one of the hardiest of the cooking sages, and looks great as an ornamental, too.

 

 

SAGE, TRICOLOR Salvia officinalis 'Tricolor'

This sage has purple, pink, green and white leaves. Wait, that's four colors-but who's counting? Very pretty sage for baskets and borders.

 

 

SCENTED GERANIUM, COCONUT Pelargonium parviflorum 'Coconut'

Believe it or not, a scented geranium that self-sows! Good for baskets or even in a rocky berm.

 

 

SCENTED GERANIUM, LIME Pelargonium nervosum 'Lime'

This one is one of my favorites. Excellent lime scent, and small, dark green leaves. Magenta flowers off and on through the winter, if you keep it as a house plant.

 

 

SCENTED GERANIUM, OLD FASHIONED ROSE Pelargonium graveolens 'Old Fashioned Rose'

The best rose fragrance, if planted in the garden this plant will get big enough to cut branches for bouquets. I wouldn't be without it.

 

 

SCENTED GERANIUM, PRINCE RUPERT Pelargonium crispum 'Prince Rupert'

Small variegated leaves with strong lemon scent. One of the nicest of the scented geraniums.

 

 

THYME, ENGLISH Thymus vulgaris (English Thyme)

This variety is the classic thyme. Only 6" tall, it does best in full sun and well drained soil.

 

 

THYME, VARIEGATED LEMON Thymus x citriodorus 'Aureus'

Variegated, gold and green, 12" shrub smells as good as it looks. Essential to flavor fish and chicken dishes.