The Herb & Spice Library
24 plants from the garden, the spice rack and the field, each with its history, what research says, how people use it, safety notes and sources.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera
Traditional + some evidenceAloe has been grown in sunny courtyards since antiquity. The Gospel of John records aloes brought with myrrh…
Ashwagandha
Withania somnifera
Traditional + some evidenceIts Sanskrit name means 'smell of the horse', said to describe both its aroma and the strength it was thought…
Asian Ginseng
Panax ginseng
Traditional + some evidenceThe forked 'man-root' of Korea and northeast China has been treasured for millennia as a tonic of the…
Chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla
Traditional + some evidenceWith its apple-scented, daisy-like flowers, chamomile has been a bedtime tea in European homes for…
Cinnamon
Cinnamomum verum / C. cassia
Traditional + some evidenceCinnamon was among the precious spices of the holy anointing oil in Exodus and was once worth more than…
Coriander & Cilantro
Coriandrum sativum
Traditional useExodus says the manna in the wilderness was 'like coriander seed, white.' The same plant gives us citrusy…
Cranberry
Vaccinium macrocarpon
Studied in peopleA native North American berry, cranberry was used by Indigenous peoples for food, dye and folk remedies long…
Cumin
Cuminum cyminum
Traditional useCumin is named in Isaiah, where the farmer threshes it gently with a rod, and in the Gospels among the tithed…
Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
Traditional useThe 'weed' that feeds the bees is entirely edible: bitter spring greens, a roasted root brewed like coffee,…
Echinacea
Echinacea purpurea
Traditional + some evidenceThe purple coneflower of the American prairie was one of the most widely used plants of Plains Indigenous…
Elderberry
Sambucus nigra
Traditional + some evidenceHippocrates is said to have called the elder his 'medicine chest.' Its dark berries have been cooked into…
Fenugreek
Trigonella foenum-graecum
Traditional + some evidenceFenugreek's maple-scented seeds were found in ancient Egyptian tombs, and its leaves (methi) are still a…
Flaxseed
Linum usitatissimum
Studied in peopleFlax gave humanity linen cloth and nourishing seeds. The Bible mentions flax drying on Rahab's roof, and it…
Garlic
Allium sativum
Studied in peopleGarlic fed the builders of Egypt and is remembered among the foods Israel longed for in the wilderness. Few…
Ginger
Zingiber officinale
Studied in peopleA warming rhizome carried along ancient spice routes from South Asia, ginger has seasoned food and comforted…
Green Tea
Camellia sinensis
Studied in peopleTea leaves picked and quickly heated to keep them green have been prized in China and Japan for over a…
Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Traditional + some evidenceIts name may come from the Latin 'lavare', to wash, since Romans scented their baths with it. Lavender has…
Licorice Root
Glycyrrhiza glabra
Traditional + some evidenceLicorice root was found among King Tut's tomb goods and remains one of the most-used herbs in traditional…
Milk Thistle
Silybum marianum
Traditional + some evidenceTradition says the white veins on its leaves came from a drop of the Virgin Mary's milk, giving it the name…
Peppermint
Mentha × piperita
Studied in peopleA natural cross of water mint and spearmint, peppermint has been a garden and tea favorite since at least the…
Rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
Traditional use'There's rosemary, that's for remembrance,' says Ophelia. This Mediterranean evergreen was woven into wedding…
Sage
Salvia officinalis
Traditional + some evidenceFrom the Latin 'salvere', to be well, sage has a medieval proverb all its own: 'Why should a man die whose…
Thyme
Thymus vulgaris
Traditional useAncient Greeks burned thyme as incense and medieval knights carried sprigs as a token of…
Turmeric
Curcuma longa
Traditional + some evidenceThe golden root of Indian kitchens, turmeric colors curries, rice and wedding traditions, and has been part…