List of Herbs – an Encyclopedia of Useful Herbs
This A to Z list of herbs highlights more than 170 species of herbs from around the world. Most can be grown outdoors in the United States or, in the case of tropical and subtropical species, indoors in areas where winters are cold. We’ve chosen these herbs based on a variety of criteria — some are familiar essentials for the kitchen or medicine cabinet, others are exotics that, until recently, were not well known.
List of herbs:
- Agrimony (agrimonia eupatoria)
- Alexandrian Senna (senna alexandrina)
- Allspice (pimenta dioica)
- Aloe (aloe vera)
- Alpine Strawberry (fragaria vesca)
- Angelica (angelica archangelica)
- Anise (pimpinella anisum)
- Anise Hyssop (agastache foeniculum)
- Annatto (bixa orellana)
- Arnica (arnica montana)
- Ashwagandha (withania somnifera)
- Astragalus (astragalus membranaceus)
- Basil (ocimum basilicum)
- Bay (laurus nobilis)
- Bayberry (morella cerifera)
- Belladonna (atropa belladonna)
- Bilberry (vaccinium myrtillus)
- Birch (betula spp.)
- Bitter Melon (momordica charantia)
- Black Cohosh (actaea racemosa)
- Black Hellebore (helleborus niger)
- Black Pepper (piper nigrum)
- Bloodroot (sanguinaria canadensis)
- Blue cohosh (caulophyllum thalictroides)
- Blueberry (vaccinium spp.)
- Borage (borago officinalis)
- Boswellia (boswellia serrata)
- Broad-Leaf Plantain (plantago major)
- Burdock (arctium lappa)
- Calamus (acorus calamus)
- Calendula (calendula officinalis)
- Caraway (carum carvi)
- Cardamom (elettaria cardamomum)
- Cascara Sagrada (frangula purshiana)
- Castor Bean (ricinus communis)
- Cat’s Claw (uncaria tomentosa)
- Catnip (nepeta cataria)
- Chaparral (larrea tridentata)
- Chervil (anthriscus cerefolium)
- Chickweed (stellaria media)
- Chicory (cichorium intybus)
- Chile Pepper (capsicum annuum)
- Chinese Star Anise (illicium verum)
- Chives (allium schoenoprasum)
- Chocolate (theobroma cacao)
- Clary Sage (salvia sclarea)
- Clove (syzygium aromaticum)
- Coffea arabica
- Cola (cola nitida)
- Comfrey (symphytum officinale)
- Common Mullein (verbascum thapsus)
- Coriander (coriandrum sativum)
- Costmary (tanacetum balsamita)
- Cowslip (primula veris)
- Cranberry (vaccinium macrocarpon)
- Dandelion (taraxacum officinale)
- Dill (anethum graveolens)
- Dong Quai (angelica sinensis)
- Echinacea
- Elderberry (sambucus nigra)
- Elecampane (inula helenium)
- Epazote (dysphania ambrosioides)
- Ephedra (ephedra sinica)
- Epimedium
- Eucalyptus (eucalyptus globulus)
- Evening Primrose (oenothera biennis)
- Fenugreek (trigonella foenum-graecum)
- Feverfew (tanacetum parthenium)
- Flax (linum usitatissimum)
- Forskohlii (coleus forskohlii)
- Foxglove (digitalis purpurea)
- Galangal (alpinia galanga)
- Garden Thyme (thymus vulgaris)
- Garlic (allium sativum)
- Gentian (gentiana lutea)
- Germander (teucrium chamaedrys)
- Ginger (zingiber officinale)
- Ginkgo (ginkgo biloba)
- Goji Berry (lycium barbarum)
- Goldenrod (solidago spp.)
- Goldenseal (hydrastis canadensis)
- Gotu Kola (centella asiatica)
- Grape (vitis vinifera)
- Grindelia (grindelia spp.)
- Guarana (paullinia cupana)
- Hawthorn (crataegus laevigata)
- Heal All (prunella vulgaris)
- Hibiscus (hibiscus sabdariffa)
- Hops (humulus lupulus)
- Horehound (marrubium vulgare)
- Horse Chestnut (aesculus hippocastanum)
- Horseradish (armoracia rusticana)
- Horsetail (equisetum arvense)
- Hyssop (hyssopus officinalis)
- Indigo (indigofera tinctoria)
- Jewelweed (impatiens capensis)
- Kava (piper methysticum)
- Lavender (lavandula angustifolia)
- Lemon Balm (melissa officinalis)
- Lemon Verbena (aloysia triphylla)
- Lemongrass (cymbopogon citratus)
- Lesser Calamint (calamintha nepeta)
- Licorice (glycyrrhiza glabra)
- Lobelia (lobelia inflata)
- Lovage (levisticum officinale)
- Maca (lepidium meyenii)
- Madder (rubia tinctorum)
- Marjoram (origanum majorana)
- Marshmallow (althaea officinalis)
- Maté (ilex paraguariensis)
- Mayapple (podophyllum peltatum)
- Meadowsweet (filipendula ulmaria)
- Milk Thistle (silybum marianum)
- Mint (mentha spp.)
- Monarda (monarda spp.)
- Mugwort (artemisia vulgaris)
- Myrrh (commiphora myrrha)
- Nasturtium (tropaeolum majus)
- Nettle (urtica dioica)
- New Jersey tea (ceanothus americanus)
- Oats (avena sativa)
- Oregano (origanum vulgare)
- Osha (ligusticum porteri)
- Papaya (carica papaya)
- Parsley (petroselinum crispum)
- Partridge Berry (mitchella repens)
- Passionflower (passiflora incarnata)
- Patchouli (pogostemon cablin)
- Pineapple (ananas comosus)
- Pokeweed (phytolacca americana)
- Pomegranate (punica granatum)
- Pumpkin (cucurbita pepo)
- Purslane (portulaca oleracea)
- Red Bush Tea (aspalathus linearis)
- Red Clover (trifolium pratense)
- Roman Chamomile (chamaemelum nobile)
- Rose (rosa spp.)
- Rosemary (rosmarinus officinalis)
- Rue (ruta graveolens)
- Safflower (carthamus tinctorius)
- Saffron (crocus sativus)
- Sage (salvia officinalis)
- Salad Burnet (sanguisorba minor)
- Sassafras (sassafras albidum)
- Saw Palmetto (serenoa repens)
- Scented Geranium (pelargonium spp. and hybrids)
- Serpentwood (rauvolfia serpentina)
- Slippery Elm (ulmus rubra)
- Soapwort (saponaria officinalis)
- Southernwood (artemisia abrotanum)
- St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum)
- Stevia (stevia rebaudiana)
- Summer Savory (satureja hortensis)
- Sweet Cicely (myrrhis odorata)
- Sweet Woodruff (galium odoratum)
- Tansy (tanacetum vulgare)
- Tarragon (artemisia dracunculus)
- Tea (camellia sinensis)
- Turmeric (curcuma longa)
- Uva-ursi (arctostaphylos uva-ursi)
- Valerian (valeriana officinalis)
- Vanilla (vanilla planifolia)
- Vervain (verbena officinalis)
- Violet (viola odorata)
- Vitex (vitex agnus-castus)
- Wild Yam (dioscorea villosa)
- Willow (salix alba)
- Wintergreen (gaultheria procumbens)
- Witch Hazel (hamamelis virginiana)
- Woad (isatis tinctoria)
- Wood Betony (stachys officinalis)
- Wormwood (artemisia absinthium)
- Yarrow (achillea millefolium)
- Yellow Dock (rumex crispus)
- Ylang-Ylang (cananga odorata)
- Yohimbe (pausinystalia yohimbe)
This is a list of herbs, ordered alphabetically by common name. The herbal profiles include information about each plant’s origin, name derivation, lore, and significant properties, as well as tips for growing and using it. Many of these plants have a long history of traditional medicinal use, and some of those traditional uses are now finding scientific support through rigorous clinical studies.
Globally, for nearly every traditional culture, herbs have not only helped fulfill basic human needs for survival, but also, in many cases, helped link humankind to the natural world and to the divine.
As the world becomes more cosmopolitan, more and more of these unusual herbs have begun appearing in our markets. They offer interesting new flavors and healing properties, as well as other uses. Some can be found in specialty produce markets, others are sold in health food stores as commercial preparations, and many can be ordered as seeds or plants to grow and enjoy in your garden.