Herbs

Garden Help > Herbs Of the over 600 varieties of mints, the two most popular are peppermint (Mentha piperita) and spearmint (M. spicata). Peppermint, which is a hybrid of watermint and spearmint, has a higher concentration of menthol than does spearmint. Accordingly, peppermint is more often used in…

Garden Help > Herbs Borage, Borago officinalis, is native to the Mediterranean region. It is also known as starflower, bee bush, bee bread, and tailwort. It is typically grown for its bright blue star-shaped flowers. The flowers and leaves have a cucumber-like flavor, and can be used in salads or as…

Garden Help > Herbs Rosemary (Savia rosmarinus, previously Rosmarinus officinalis) is a fragrant, drought tolerant, evergreen perennial that is classified as a subshrub for the woody lower stems that develop over time.  Its many forms range from ground covers to tall shrubs.How to growType:…

Garden Help Santa Clara County provides a year-round climate that is well-suited to growing a variety of culinary and aromatic herbs.Herbs are a great choice for beginner gardeners as they tend to be easy to grow and care for. They are a wonderful addition as borders to your vegetable garden or can be…

Garden Help > Herbs Saffron is a spice that comes from the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus. This fall flowering crocus is distinct from the ornamental spring flowering crocuses. It also must not be confused with the similar but toxic fall flowering Colchicums. The only part used for the spice are…

Garden Help > Herbs Bay laurel, Laurus nobilis, is an evergreen grown as a large shrub or tree. Small bay trees do well in containers because of their slow growth, but can reach heights of 20 to 40 feet in landscapes. The aromatic leaves add flavor to sauces, soups, stews, meats, fish, and pickles…

Garden Help > Herbs Sage is a Salvia, the largest genus in the mint family. There are hundreds of varieties of salvias, which can have quite different cultivation needs. This page focuses on culinary sage, Salvia officinalis.‘Berggarten’ is a compact growing cultivar from Germany, considered to be…

Garden Help > Herbs German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, is the most commonly grown variety for chamomile blossoms. The plant produces fragrant flowers all summer long. The small, white daisy-like flowers have a pleasant pineapple flavor. They also attract beneficial insects and are self…

Garden Help > Herbs Tarragon is one of the classic fines herbes used in French cooking (parsley, chives, and chervil are the others). When purchasing a plant, it is important to be sure it is “French tarragon” and not “Russian tarragon”, which does not have the characteristic anise-like flavor…

Garden Help > Herbs The word “cilantro” generally refers to the culinary leaves, while “coriander” is the dried spice derived from the seeds. Cilantro plants have a relatively short growing season, and are quick to bolt (go to seed) in hot weather. Every part of the plant is edible, and are used in…