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Herbs, more than parsley, sage, thyme
By Elayne Arne
I don't agree with the comment,“Herbs are ugly.” Roses and lavender not only look good but smell good too. Dianthus, pot marigold, and nasturtiums are both beautiful and quite tasty, whether they are in the ground, a pot or a salad.
There are more than 2,000 herbs including roses and many Texas native plants are also herbs. Native Americans relied on herbs (many of which are also considered native plants) for many purposes, but especially for medicinal reasons. Herbs are not only used for culinary purposes, but are also used for medicinal, cosmetic, household cleaning solutions, dyes, and art and craft purposes as well. They are sometimes referred to as “culinary, medicinal, household, industrial, tea plant” herbs. Some have multiple uses which carry over into all of these categories.
Noble dendrobiums, Dendrobium nobile, a diverse genus of orchids with more than 1,000 species are herbs with evidence they were used in China and India about 7,000 years ago.
Some of the plants you think of as “landscaping trees and plants” are also herbs. Vitex Agnus-castus, also known as a chaste tree, is an herb, along with citrus trees, Citrus; bay trees, Laurus nobilis; cedar trees, Cedrus; pine trees, Pinus; beech trees, Fagus; birch trees, Betula; and willow trees, Salix.
Plants which are also herbs include: sunflowers, Helianthus annuus; begonias, Begonia semperflorens; ginger, Zingiber officinale; and rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis.
What is the definition of an herb? According to The Herb Society of America's New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Use, the term “herb” has more than one definition. Botanists describe an herb as a small, seed-bearing plant with fleshy, rather than woody, parts (from which we get the term herbaceous). In addition to herbaceous perennials, herbs include trees, shrubs, annuals, vines, and more primitive plants, such as ferns, mosses, algae, lichens, and fungi. Herbs are valued for their flavor, fragrance, medicinal and healthful qualities, economic and industrial uses, pesticidal properties, and coloring materials (dyes).
Many herbs are favorites of wildlife. Yarrow, Achillea millefolium; passion flower, Passiflora incarnata; dill, Anethum graveolens; fennel, Foeniculum vulgare; borage, Borago officinalis; rue, Ruta graveolens; citrus, Citrus spp.; and butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberose are some butterfly herb favorites.
Many herbs, especially the salvias, a genus of some 900 species, are favorites of hummingbirds, including the same garden sage, Salvia officinalis, grown for cooking. Some more salvia favorites are pineapple sage, S. elegans; hummingbird sage, S. guaranitica; autumn sage, S. greggii; scarlet sage, aka Texas sage, S. coccinea; black and blue salvia, S. guaranitica to name just a few of the salvias. Some other hummer herb favorites include Turk's cap, Malvaviscus arboretum; foxgloves, Digitalis; and anise hyssop, Agastache foeniculum.
Culinary herbs
Culinary herbs are beautiful with a wide range of scents, textures, colors and sizes. They add beauty, are good companion plants, and they taste good. They can make a plain meal into a great meal.
Herbs are plants which do not develop persistent woody tissue while spices: derive from the roots, barks, unopened flowers and seedpods of woody shrubs and trees and various aromatic vegetable products. Some plants are both an herb and a spice, i.e. dill, fennel and coriander .
Culinary herbs are herbaceous plants which add flavor and color to all types of meals.
If you find low fat or low salt foods taste bland, use herbs to enhance the flavor of virtually any dish, including desserts.
Generally, herbs are delicately flavored, so add them to your cooking in the last few minutes, or like I do, at the beginning of cooking and then throw some morein at the last minute, right before serving.
Medicinal herbs
Before pharmaceutical companies, man relied on herbs for medical purposes. Willow bark has been used for pain relief since the fist century A.D. The willow Salix produces salicylic acid which was first synthesized in 1838 and provides the basis of our modern-day aspirin.
The chaste tree, Vitex agnus-castus, is considered to be a female hormonal balancer. The purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, is a native Texas wildflower said to be an immune system booster herb, and goldenrod, Solidago, another Texas wildflower, is said to be a diuretic and respiratory herb.
The nettles, including the hated stinging nettles, Urtica dioica, can be steamed or stir-fried with garlic and eaten, and drunk as a tea which is reputed to be good for anemia, asthma, and is a diuretic.
Both passion flower, Passiflora incarnate, and St. John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum, are reputed to help with the nervous system.
Garlic, Allium sativum, and onion, show evidence which suggests valuable compounds found in them can actually lower glucose levels by competing with insulin in the liver.
Pot marigold, Calendula officinalis, is used as a salve which effectively treats burns, stops bleeding, soothes the pain of injuries, and promotes the healing of wounds, insect bites and bruises. It is nourishing, soothing, anti-bacterial, and it has anti-depressant properties.
Frankincense, Boswellia sacra, and myrrh, Commiphora myrrha, are scented plant resins from shrubs. Yarrow, Achillea, is an herb. All three have been used as medicinal herbs for centuries.
Before you say, “Herbs are ugly,” think about all of the beautiful and useful plants which are herbs. Good gardening.
For more information or questions about local gardening, contact an Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardener at the Texas Cooperative Extension Office, by email at aransas-tx@tamu.edu, by phone 790-0103, or Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., at 611 East Mimosa St.
There are more than 2,000 herbs including roses and many Texas native plants are also herbs. Native Americans relied on herbs (many of which are also considered native plants) for many purposes, but especially for medicinal reasons. Herbs are not only used for culinary purposes, but are also used for medicinal, cosmetic, household cleaning solutions, dyes, and art and craft purposes as well. They are sometimes referred to as “culinary, medicinal, household, industrial, tea plant” herbs. Some have multiple uses which carry over into all of these categories.
Noble dendrobiums, Dendrobium nobile, a diverse genus of orchids with more than 1,000 species are herbs with evidence they were used in China and India about 7,000 years ago.
Some of the plants you think of as “landscaping trees and plants” are also herbs. Vitex Agnus-castus, also known as a chaste tree, is an herb, along with citrus trees, Citrus; bay trees, Laurus nobilis; cedar trees, Cedrus; pine trees, Pinus; beech trees, Fagus; birch trees, Betula; and willow trees, Salix.
Plants which are also herbs include: sunflowers, Helianthus annuus; begonias, Begonia semperflorens; ginger, Zingiber officinale; and rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis.
What is the definition of an herb? According to The Herb Society of America's New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Use, the term “herb” has more than one definition. Botanists describe an herb as a small, seed-bearing plant with fleshy, rather than woody, parts (from which we get the term herbaceous). In addition to herbaceous perennials, herbs include trees, shrubs, annuals, vines, and more primitive plants, such as ferns, mosses, algae, lichens, and fungi. Herbs are valued for their flavor, fragrance, medicinal and healthful qualities, economic and industrial uses, pesticidal properties, and coloring materials (dyes).
Many herbs are favorites of wildlife. Yarrow, Achillea millefolium; passion flower, Passiflora incarnata; dill, Anethum graveolens; fennel, Foeniculum vulgare; borage, Borago officinalis; rue, Ruta graveolens; citrus, Citrus spp.; and butterfly weed, Asclepias tuberose are some butterfly herb favorites.
Many herbs, especially the salvias, a genus of some 900 species, are favorites of hummingbirds, including the same garden sage, Salvia officinalis, grown for cooking. Some more salvia favorites are pineapple sage, S. elegans; hummingbird sage, S. guaranitica; autumn sage, S. greggii; scarlet sage, aka Texas sage, S. coccinea; black and blue salvia, S. guaranitica to name just a few of the salvias. Some other hummer herb favorites include Turk's cap, Malvaviscus arboretum; foxgloves, Digitalis; and anise hyssop, Agastache foeniculum.
Culinary herbs are beautiful with a wide range of scents, textures, colors and sizes. They add beauty, are good companion plants, and they taste good. They can make a plain meal into a great meal.
Herbs are plants which do not develop persistent woody tissue while spices: derive from the roots, barks, unopened flowers and seedpods of woody shrubs and trees and various aromatic vegetable products. Some plants are both an herb and a spice, i.e. dill, fennel and coriander .
Culinary herbs are herbaceous plants which add flavor and color to all types of meals.
If you find low fat or low salt foods taste bland, use herbs to enhance the flavor of virtually any dish, including desserts.
Generally, herbs are delicately flavored, so add them to your cooking in the last few minutes, or like I do, at the beginning of cooking and then throw some morein at the last minute, right before serving.
Before pharmaceutical companies, man relied on herbs for medical purposes. Willow bark has been used for pain relief since the fist century A.D. The willow Salix produces salicylic acid which was first synthesized in 1838 and provides the basis of our modern-day aspirin.
The chaste tree, Vitex agnus-castus, is considered to be a female hormonal balancer. The purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, is a native Texas wildflower said to be an immune system booster herb, and goldenrod, Solidago, another Texas wildflower, is said to be a diuretic and respiratory herb.
The nettles, including the hated stinging nettles, Urtica dioica, can be steamed or stir-fried with garlic and eaten, and drunk as a tea which is reputed to be good for anemia, asthma, and is a diuretic.
Both passion flower, Passiflora incarnate, and St. John's Wort, Hypericum perforatum, are reputed to help with the nervous system.
Garlic, Allium sativum, and onion, show evidence which suggests valuable compounds found in them can actually lower glucose levels by competing with insulin in the liver.
Pot marigold, Calendula officinalis, is used as a salve which effectively treats burns, stops bleeding, soothes the pain of injuries, and promotes the healing of wounds, insect bites and bruises. It is nourishing, soothing, anti-bacterial, and it has anti-depressant properties.
Frankincense, Boswellia sacra, and myrrh, Commiphora myrrha, are scented plant resins from shrubs. Yarrow, Achillea, is an herb. All three have been used as medicinal herbs for centuries.
Before you say, “Herbs are ugly,” think about all of the beautiful and useful plants which are herbs. Good gardening.
For more information or questions about local gardening, contact an Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardener at the Texas Cooperative Extension Office, by email at aransas-tx@tamu.edu, by phone 790-0103, or Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., at 611 East Mimosa St.
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ZAGDA wrote on Feb 14, 2009 3:53 PM:
Instead of presenting this to the scientific world in a peer reviewed journal, these guys publish it in this book in an attempt to sway public opinion. I could go on as many of the statements in this article are misleading, or blatantly ludicrous. Suffice it to say, it looks to me like this book is much more about influencing public opinion than any scientific review of whether human activity is causing climate change.
It is sad some people will believe this as fact. "