25 Essential Herbs To Plant In Your Apothecary Garden

Herbs to plant when starting your medicinal garden or to add to your existing herb garden. An introduction to Essential Medicinal Herbs.

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Humans and animals have used medicinal herbs throughout history to support health and healing. This guide will provide you with an introduction on varieties you can plant. Pick a few and get started and then add more as you get comfortable.

These are my favorites and I know everyone has a different favorite list. So pick what you like or need and start your own favorite list! 

An Introduction To Essential Herbs To Plant And How To Grow Them

Here I’ll provide an introductory quick reference on the major benefits and uses as well as when to start your herbs, and where to source them. Specific, detailed plant guides and more details for each herb will follow in the future and I will link them here. Stay tuned and subscribe to my newsletter to get notified. 

It’s Hard To Choose Just 25 Herbs

It was really hard to pick just 25 herbs for this post, but I didn’t want it to become a huge encyclopedia. However, there will likely be a part two to this eventually, because I left out many of my other favorites. For now, let’s take a closer look at these 25 wonderful and powerful healing and culinary herbs: 

Disclaimer: While opinions vary widely about the different herbs, I am writing about my own experiences with herbs and what I found through years of research. I am not a doctor and am not giving medical advice.

However, this is how I use herbs and what I feel confident to present as an alternative option. Be aware that anyone could potentially have an allergic reaction to a new food or herb, and so start using a new herb in small doses and watch for any signs of discomfort. Also, do consult with your health practitioner if you take any medication, have a serious condition, or are pregnant or nursing. 

Planting your own herbs is so important, we never know what can happen and if we rely on outside sources, we might get sorely disappointed in case a diseaster happens or we end up locked in. Having your medicine cabinet stocked with teas and tinctures is a great way to be prepared. And growing your own will assure your access to a continuous supply of those herbs you need.

Here is a great herbal seed kit that I found, to get you started on most of the herbs mentioned here. I’ll reference more sources below, but this one is a great deal for a huge variety!

How To Choose The Right Herb To Get Your Garden Started:

First you’ll want to think about what you want from your plants and what you can offer them. 

Ask yourself: What herbs are you currently using that you purchase? Are you looking to set up a cold and flu kit? Are you addressing a specific chronic issue that you would like to improve with a few herbal blends? What herbs would be included in it? What herbs would you like to have access to, that are too expensive to buy? Are you hoping to supplement your animal feed with supportive herbs or make your own herb mixes for their ailments?

What plants will grow well in your area and which ones are you most likely to utilize, or maybe you just want them for their aesthetic appeal. Some herbs attract pollinators, repel pests and make excellent companions for plants you already grow in your garden. You could select some that can be interplanted with your existing ones. 

Or maybe you just want perennials that you don’t have to start over every year.

Maybe you have just a small area where you can best grow your plants in pots, a window box or an herb spiral. Then you’ll need to choose those that do well in more cramped conditions. 

If there are several plants with the same benefits, choose one that is best suited for your climate and that will yield strong, healthy plants that ultimately work better for medicine than stunted, struggling plants that don’t like it in your clay soil for example. 

If you have a large space, you could design a beautiful cottage garden and choose many varieties to give you the benefits of diversity. 

Most of all, make it your garden! Let it reflect your personality and preferences, and as you tend it, you will likely make changes, add, remove, or relocate plants to fit your needs and aesthetic flair. 

Most important is that you start somewhere and look at it as a life project. Pick a few that are most important to you now. Then grow your garden as you get more familiar with your own gardening style and preferences, as your needs change, and as you gain experience.

25 Essential Herbs To Plant In Your Apothecary Garden.

1. Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)

Perennial. Bee balm attracts pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds. I value and use it for its antimicrobial properties that fight bacteria and fungi, making it useful for treating infections in the throat, mouth, and skin. It can help reduce pain and swelling from stings and other irritations. 

It is often used as a tea for congestion and sore throat associated with colds  and flus. The leaves and flowering stems are antihelmintic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, rubefacient and stimulant. In her blog, Rosalee de la Forȇt states that bee balm can be some of our most potent herbal medicine against infections and stagnant conditions

It might help break a fever by inducing sweating if you’ve been hanging on to one for too long. Fevers are a necessary response to our bodies trying to fight off the invaders that cause us to be sick. And it is not a good practice to try and reduce these fevers that are necessary for healing. However, sometimes our bodies fight hard for a long time, and this can wear on our overall constitution. So it is helpful to sometimes break a fever that has hung around for too long. (source, source)

Parts used: Aerial parts are used at the onset of blooming, when the plant’s efforts are directed at reproduction and the constituents and flavonoids are most concentrated in those flowering parts. They are used in teas or in strong infusions as a gargle for sore throat. Dried leaves are used for making an infused oil that can be made into a healing salve. The fresh leaves can also be used directly by bruising them and applying them to bee stings or other irritations on the skin.

Source for Seed: Bee Balm Seeds

How to start Monarda Didyma: Direct sow in spring just after the last frost. Keep soil moist and divide every few years to rejuvenate. Or start indoors at 60-70 degree soil temperature. Barely cover with soil. Transplant when 3-4 inches tall or 6-8 weeks after starting them. Plant about 12-18″ apart outside. Hardy perennial in zones 4-10. They like full sun to partial shade and rich, moist, slightly acidic soil.

2. Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

Annual. Calendula, with her bright orange petals, is known for her skin-healing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. If you’re only growing a few herbs, this is one to include. 

If you interplant her in your garden, Calendula is a very beneficial plant as a pollinator attractor and pest repellent. 

Medicinally Calendula has been used for wounds, cuts, burns and scrapes. She can help speed healing and stimulate new skin growth. Calendula can help protect cells from damage. And she may help with muscle spasms and menstrual pain according to some sources. She is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory.

Calendula is very soothing and mild and is often used in a salve for babies to help with diaper rash, cradle cap, and other skin issues. Calendula can also possibly help with skin ageing due to her hydrating properties. She is nourishing and cleansing for the lymphatic system and great for treating swollen glands.

Calendula is normally used as a salve, and great combined with comfrey and plantain for a very effective healing salve. This lady is also called pot marigold and often thought of as a marigold, but they are not directly related. Calendula is an edible plant and leaves and flowers can be used. However she has a bitter flavor. (source)

Parts used: Whole dried flowers are used in medicinal oils and salves. Harvest the flowers when blossoms have fully opened. For culinary use, only the petals are used as food.

Where to Source: Calendula Seed

How to start Calendula officinalis: Direct seeding is preferred. In spring, around the last frost date, scatter the seeds and press them into the ground, or cover with ¼ inch of soil. They prefer a rich soil with high organic matter. If you prefer to start your plants indoors, calendula can be started in pots 3-4 weeks before planting out. Once established, they often reseed themselves in the garden if you leave a few of the flowers to go to seed. 

3. Cayenne (Capsicum annuum)

Perennial or Annual. Cayenne is one of my favorite peppers to grow. They are easy to grow, and look so dramatic when the fruits turn red. And then they make such a great seasoning that can satisfy my spice loving palate. Bland does not work for me, lol. I throw a few cayennes into most everything, my garlic honey, hot sauce, spreadable cheese for toast, spice teas, and even yogurt.

However, I grow cayennes as much for their health benefits and medicinal use as I do to put some fire in my food. Here is a quick summary of some benefits.

Cayenne is a warming herb (helpful if you’re cold all the time) that works as a circulatory stimulant, for pain relief, and can make an effective tonic for the heart. It stimulates saliva and stomach enzymes to help with digestion. The capsaicin in cayenne can also release the body’s feel-good hormone. 

Capsaicin is also the main ingredient in several over-the-counter pain-relief creams, since it is so effective for arthritis, bursitis, muscle and joint aches. Cayenne is rich in vitamins A and C which can support the immune system. That is why it’s also great in cold and flu preparations. And it is one of the key ingredients in fire cider!

Cayenne is also a good stimulating herb in medicinal herbal blends that can ‘wake the body’ so it will be aware and able to use the herbs you just administered. It has been recommended as a first aid for a heart attack, can lower cholesterol and reduce severity of heart disease. Use only the fruits. The leaves, stems and flowers can be toxic. (source, Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs)

Parts used: The fruits are dried and used in teas or, mostly powdered, as a seasoning. It can be made into a salve or tincture as well. 

Where to source: Cayenne Pepper Seeds:

How to grow Capsicum annuum: Start indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost in pots and transplant outside after all danger of frost has passed and the air and ground have sufficiently warmed. Wait a week or two after the last frost. Plant about 12″ apart. Cayenne can be grown as a perennial in the south, zones 9 and 10. It is frost sensitive, but can survive a few light frosts if protected with mulch. Just cut it back in the fall and mulch well. In other places it is grown as an annual, and it can also be grown in pots and brought inside to overwinter. Peppers like full sun, well drained, fertile soil and abundant phosphorus and calcium. Aim for a soil Ph of 6.5. In the northern parts, peppers greatly benefit from being planted in a black paper or plastic mulch. This can double your harvest at least. I know!

Check out my very comprehensive guide to Growing your own peppers from seeds. From selecting seeds to planting, growing, companion planting, and harvesting. Find out the benefits of growing your own peppers and how to preserve them.

4. Chamomile, German (Matricaria recutita) or Roman (Chamaemelum nobile)

Perennial or Annual. German chamomile, also called common chamomile, is a tall growing annual plant that often reseeds itself. Roman Chamomile on the other hand spreads by underground rhizome and is a perennial. 

The Chamomiles can be a little confusing. However, both chamomiles are gentle and powerful herbs. In Rosemary Gladstar’s words: “Chamomile demonstrates to us that gentle does not mean less effective.“

In general, both are used for their relaxing benefits and can be used interchangeably for that purpose. However, if you purchase chamomile, the teas are most likely made from German chamomile and most essential oils are from Roman Chamomile.

German chamomile contains chamazulene, a phytochemical that gives its oil a beautiful blue color and is highly regarded as an essential oil. I like to grow both. The perennial Roman chamomile makes a great fragrant ground cover for garden paths or in a food forest. But for medicinal purposes, if you want to grow just one, I suggest you plant the German chamomile.

The chamomiles are most known for their relaxing, calming qualities. But they also contain flavonoids and terpenes, which have anti-inflammatory effects. This can help soothe conditions like arthritis, eczema, and skin irritations.

Chamomile is known for its calming and sedative properties. It can help reduce anxiety, promote relaxation, and improve sleep quality. Chamomile can modulate inflammation, an important quality.

Chamomile has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which can protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. This may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. (source, source, source, Rosalee de la Forȇt’s Alchemy of Herbs)

If you want to make tea, it is best to use dried German chamomile flowers. This tea can help with mental relaxation and sleep quality. It can also help to settle the stomach. When growing up, my mother often gave us this tea when we were suffering with any stomach ailments. It’s very calming for the stomach. 

The blue German chamomile oil is mostly used in salves to help improve skin conditions.

Roman chamomile has a fruity and sweet scent and is mostly used as an essential oil in diffusers for its mental relaxation properties. (source, source)

Parts Used: Harvest German chamomile flowers for tea and tinctures when they are fully open. Use the dried flowers in salves, roman chamomile for aromatherapy. 

Where to source: German Chamomile, Roman Chamomile

How to start Matricaria recutita or Chamaemelum nobile : Start indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost or sow directly outdoors as soon as the soil can be worked. Chamomile seeds need light to start, so just press them into the soil lightly for good soil contact and keep moist until they start to grow. Transplant in clusters of 2-3 about 8 inches apart. Chamomile likes full sun and fertile, well drained, sandy loam.

5. Comfrey (Symphytum × uplandicum)

Perennial. This is another must have herb. I adore comfrey for so many reasons. It is a great fodder for the livestock, an effective compost accelerator, and makes comfrey tea for fertilizer. The leaves are also great for use as a mulch and since this is an accumulator plant, you’ll add rich nutrients to your soil by using comfrey in the garden and in your food forest. I plant a lot of comfrey! 

Medicinally Comfrey is mostly known for its awesome ability to heal wounds and skin issues. But it also helps with bruising of muscles. Comfrey can be used as a compress for joint pain and, being rich in mucilage, is soothing and moisturizing on the skin. (source)

Contraindication: Comfrey should only be used externally and only when needed. It contains a toxic substance, (pyrrolizidine alkaloids) that can damage the liver if large amounts are ingested.

Parts to use: All parts of the comfrey plant can be used for each of the suggested uses, however, the dried leaves are usually what we use in salves. 

Where to source: Russian Comfrey (or True Comfrey if you feel adventurous and must have it) are available from my favorite medicinal plant company Strictly Medicinals.

How to start Symphytum: Important: Comfrey has several varieties and I highly recommend that you grow the Russian Comfrey (Bocking 14 Cultivar, symphytum x uplandicum). This one is propagated by root cuttings. It has sterile seed, so it won’t reproduce by seed!

Just bury the root in the ground anywhere you want this plant to get established. Once it is, it will happily get bigger and grow large roots that can be divided and established in other areas of your garden. If you decide for some reason to grow the traditional True Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis), be prepared to have comfrey growing everywhere eventually since that kind does produce viable seed that will be spread by wind or birds, and so it can become quite invasive.

6. Dill (Anethum graveolens)

Annual. The pickle maker’s favorite ingredient and a flavoring for many dishes, dill also has great health benefits. Let food be thy medicine and let dill help you with your health while you enjoy its delightful anise-like flavor. 

While the dill weed is rarely used for medicinal preparations, it has many applications in cooking and baking, where it can infuse your foods with its healing properties. The seeds, however, are used medicinally for digestive complaints, and reducing flatulence and bloating. You can make a tea with the seeds or chew them as needed. They have a licorice flavor. Consider using it for your ruminating animals if bloat is a problem, just feed the whole dill plant or add some powdered seeds to their feed. It’s good for dogs too. 

Other health benefits: Fresh dill contains essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin A. Some studies show that dill helps manage existing type 2 diabetes, and it may help prevent it. Dill is packed with flavonoids, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke and reduce LDL cholesterol levels (in animal studies).(source, source, source)

Used parts: All aerial parts can be used, but for its medicinal properties, the seeds are used in teas or just chewed plain.

Where to source: Dill Seed

How to start Anethum graveolens: While dill seeds can be started indoors, the recommended method is direct seeding outdoors once the soil has warmed in early spring and after danger of frost. No need to thin. Dill will grow in most soils and prefers full sun.

Harvest greens all throughout the season until it goes to seed. Be careful to just break of the leaves and not the branching buds, which are usually growing right above each leaf. Harvest seeds when they are just turning golden and are dry on the plant. Then dry them in a dark place. I like to put the seed heads on short stems head first into a paper bag and keep them in a very dry, airy, shady spot to dry completely.

Dill is a great companion plant for your vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes. 

7. Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) or (E. angustifolia)

Perennial. I love growing this lady. I think the Echinaceas are so beautiful. Echinacea grows abundant along the roads here in the Ozarks and technically I would not need to plant this one, however echinacea plants are over-harvested in the wild. So let’s not contribute to rendering echinacea extinct and let’s grow her in our own gardens for our use!

Another reason I grow her in my garden is that I just really like having this beauty growing nearby and attract pollinators for my garden. And I do not want to pick her from the side of the road anyway, where road crews spray pesticides regularly.

According to ‘The Book Of Herbal Wisdom‘ by Matthew Wood, a tincture of echinacea was the first official snake oil sold by a doctor and medicine vendor in the 1880s. 

As with most herbs, scientific backing is not available on the whole herb. But there are a lot of studies, mostly from Europe, that confirm that echinacea raises the body’s natural resistance to infection by stimulating and aiding immune function. In fact, Echinacea provides powerful immune support if taken correctly and is known as one of the top immune-enhancing herbs.

Echinacea also has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. This herb is quite safe even for children and older people. I will post more specifics about Echinacea  in another post in the near future, so stay tuned and sign up for notifications. 

For now, I want to point out a common mistake made with Echinacea here. It is important to understand that Echinacea’s role is to stimulate white blood cell production that can fight the viruses when they first enter and thus might prevent a full blown attack. So don’t wait till you are sick as a dog. Catch it while it’s just a puppy!

In this way it is especially effective when taken in small doses throughout the day at the first sign of an impending cold. Like when you start feeling run-down and ‘off’. You know the feeling. Like you’re just super tired and low energy. Also when you have been around other people who are sick. Take it then, don’t wait. 

If used correctly, in my experience, Echinacea is a powerful fighter for keeping you from getting really sick. Note too, that Echinacea should not be used continually. Use it only when you need it.

Echinacea is also indicated for bronchial and respiratory infections, sore throat and oral infections. Anytime the immune system needs fortifying. (Book Medicinal Herbs)

Besides being an immune supporter, a publication suggests that Echinacea contains active substances that relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and have hormonal, antiviral, and antioxidant effects. (source)

In another, echinacea is attributed to improve immunity, blood sugar, anxiety, inflammation, and skin health, and to have anti-cancer properties. And it might be useful in fighting off various other infections, such as upper respiratory tract infections or urinary tract infections, ear infections, and prevent infections in wounds or cuts. I had to grin when I read their conclusion: “there aren’t many products like echinacea with similar potential immune-boosting effects, so it might be worth trying it out”. (source)

Parts Used: We use the aerial parts and the roots. Both are equally useful, but traditionally, the roots have preference and are used in the fall of their second or subsequent years after planting. I like to use both, the roots and aerial parts in my preparations, because there are subtle differences and this way you get them all. And I always believe that where it makes sense, use the whole plant. I make 2 separate tinctures or roots and aerial parts, and mix them later. Echinacea can be made into a tea too.

There are many varieties of Echinacea. You can use either E. Purpurea or E. Angustifolia. They work interchangeably, although I have found E. Purpurea to be easier to grow and source. E. Angustifolia, on the other hand, has a large taproot that provides more yield if you’re looking to harvest the root.

Where to source: Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia

How to start Echinacea purpurea or E. Angustifolia: Start seeds in the fall or at least 8-10 weeks before the last frost and place the pots or flats outdoors to experience cold and rain, which will stimulate germination. Or try winter-sewing her. Here is a really good post I found about how to do it!

Or sow directly in the ground outdoors in fall to late winter when it is still cold out. Echinacea needs cold stratification, alternatively, you can place the seed in a moist baggie and chill it in the fridge for a couple of months before planting them.

The Echinaceas prefer slightly alkaline or limestone enriched soil. (So that’s why they grow naturally here in the Ozarks, now I know!) And here is my idea: Use your spent alkaline water from water glassing eggs, to amend the soil for your Echinaceas!

Echinacea likes sun or partial shade and is happy in average soil. And she is a hardy perennial in zones 3-10.

You can harvest the leaves and flowers the first year before they go to seed. Harvest the root in the second fall and subsequent years after planting.

8. Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium)

Perennial. Feverfew is a less popular herb to grow, I assume it’s because of the bitter flavor. However, it is a great one to have if you suffer from migraines and headaches. And it can repel insect pests.

According to some studies, feverfew may help prevent or reduce the frequency and severity of migraines. An active component of feverfew is parthenolide, an anti-inflammatory compound. This compound may block the release of inflammatory substances that contribute to migraines. 

It might also help reduce pain and swelling associated with conditions such as arthritis, and relieve pain from menstrual cramps and toothaches. Feverfew is also a source of antioxidants, and has been used to support digestive health by reducing nausea, vomiting, and indigestion. (source)

Parts to use: Aerial parts are used for making teas, and tinctures and Penelope Ody recommends in her book to eat one fresh leaf a day to prevent migraines. (Complete Medicinal Herbal). It is bitter, be prepared, but it might suffer you less to eat a bitter leaf than to experience a migraine. Otherwise, try the tea.

Where to source: Feverfew Seeds

How to grow Tanacetum parthenium: Starting seed indoors is recommended. Sow 5-7 weeks before transplanting out in spring or fall and do not cover with soil. Mist the surface lightly to keep seeds moist but uncovered.

Repot after 2-4 weeks and transplant out 4 weeks before first frost in the fall or anytime in the spring after your last frost. Feverfew is a tender perennial in zones 5-9 outdoors after the last frost. It is a long-day bloomer. Space 8-12″ apart. It likes a light, well-drained, moist, fertile soil with a pH of 6.0-7.2.

9. Garlic (Allium sativum)

Perennial grown as an Annual. And here is another herb that I consider absolutely essential. Most of us use garlic in our everyday cooking as a delicious flavoring. But it is also a powerful medicinal plant with many health properties and can be an important ally in your battle against illnesses. 

The compound allicin in garlic has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It may help with reducing risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimers. Garlic is used to lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels and prevent blood clots. 

Garlic is rich in antioxidants, including selenium and vitamin C, which protect cells from oxidative damage. And it is a powerful immune booster by stimulating the production of white blood cells and increasing their activity. It can help regulate blood sugar levels, which could help manage diabetes.

Garlic also has antimicrobial properties that might fight off harmful bacteria in the gut, promote digestion and reduce the risk of infections. And this herb might have anti-aging, and bone-strengthening effects. (source, source)

I know this sounds all so very vague, but we cannot be specific when suggesting the benefits of herbs, especially since there are not many definite scientific studies backing up all of this. But in my experience, I’ve been using fresh garlic every day for years and I can tell you all that I rarely get sick anymore since I started doing this, even when everyone else around me gets a bug. I believe the garlic is helping with that. And I have not been attacked by any vampires either.

You can read more about garlic’s benefits, and how it is used medicinally, in my post about Garlic Honey, a syrup that can offer cold and flu support. And check out my Fermented Garlic Recipe, a convenient way to have fresh garlic ready to use and on hand all year in your fridge. Fermenting increases the health benefits of garlic too! Garlic is also a key ingredient in fire cider!

Parts Used: We use the bulb of the garlic. The leaves are very tough, and the bulb is where the garlic plant stores most of its nutrients. (You can save the leaves to make vegetable or bone broth, just toss them in the freezer or dry them). Fresh garlic is preferred since cooking destroys some of the important benefits. 

Where to source: Keene Garlic Bulbs

When to start Allium sativum: Plant the separated garlic cloves in the fall a few weeks before the hard frosts set in. If you’re in the South, you can plant garlic in very early spring. You can do that too in the North, but be aware that you’ll get smaller bulbs that way, however, they will work just as well. Find out exactly how to plant garlic in my grow big garlic bulbs tutorial.

10. Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Perennial or Annual. Ginger is a fun herb to grow in your garden or home. It needs a long growing season and so you can start it indoors any time and then plant it outside when it’s warm to let them get some sunshine. Ginger likes it quite warm, so in cooler, northern regions it is best planted inside a greenhouse.

Ginger is so beneficial for your health. Check out why in my posts about the health benefits of ginger beer, Fermented Ginger, and Ginger honey. There you’ll find lots of details and lists. I’ll list a few here for an introduction, but the list of ginger’s health benefits is so long, I’ll spare you the details here to keep this post from turning into a novel, and you can go read about them in my other posts. But here is a condensed list:

Ginger has anti-Inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It has long been used for gut ailments, to improve digestion, relieve nausea, and vomiting. It is used as pain relief for arthritis and menstrual cramps. Ginger is used to support immune health, boost circulation, help with weight loss, and regulate blood sugar levels. And it has been found to enhance Brain Function and support mental health. 

Ginger can support heart health and help with respiratory infections. Ginger salves are used to improve skin health and for local pain relief. It can help with liver detoxification and improve oral health. (source, source)

I love to use ginger in so many ways. My favorite is to drink a warming ginger tea, where I make a decoction of the dried, granulated rhizome. I also make a spice tea with ginger and sweeten it with honey.

Ginger is amazing in home brewed ginger beer, using a ginger bug, or as a quick ginger ale. I use it in cooking and baking with fermented ginger paste. And as a remedy for sore throats with my ginger honey and for cold and flu prevention with fire cider!

I try to find many ways to incorporate ginger into my daily health regimen, because it’s just such a good all around healthy herb. 

Used Parts: We use the rhizome for teas, tinctures, honeys, oxymels, fire cider and more.

Where to source: Ginger Rhizome at Azure Standard, a buying club from Oregon that I highly recommend! You can use any organic ginger from the health food store or grocery store to grow ginger. Here is a link to a box of organic ginger and turmeric on Amazon. But you can also get some at Fedco seeds. They also have a very thorough ginger growing guide.

How to start Zingiber officinale: Ginger is fairly easy to grow from rhizomes. Place the ginger into some moist soil and keep the green sprouts above the surface. Ginger should not be completely buried. When it starts rooting, put it in a larger pot and set it out when the weather has turned warm.

In the fall take it back in before any frost, and keep it growing until it’s big enough to harvest. Save a few pieces of the rhizomes for replanting. Or plant it outside in warm zones, or into a green house in cooler regions, after it gets consistently warm outside.

11. Hops (Humulus lupulus)

I looove the hops plant. It used to be my natural shower curtain in WA, lol. I placed the picture above, check it out!

Hops, in the cannabaceae family, are so rewarding to grow and are so pretty when their vines drape over fences and trellises, and yes, my shower house, and eventually get loaded with strobiles. I fell in love with the plant when I was still a kid and saw it ramble over a neighbor’s fences for hundreds of feet near my parent’s little farm in the black forest. 

Hops is well known as an ingredient in beer, notably IPAs, with their distinct bitter and citrus notes. But it is also a really helpful medicinal plant with a very bitter, cooling, and dry character. Its strong scent can be attributed to the volatile oils it contains alongside tannins, flavonoids and more.

Parts used are the strobiles, that can be tinctured or dried and made into a tea, to help with insomnia and for its calming properties. Note however, that dried strobiles, that are several months old, can start to have a stimulating effect. So for long-term use it is best when preserved in a stable tincture. 

As a sedative and for nervous tension and anxiety it is great when combined in a blend with other digestive herbs such as marshmallow, plantain, chamomile and peppermint. Penelope Ody warns in her book that hops can be contraindicated for people with depression. 

A compress or wash can be used for chronic ulcers, skin eruptions and wounds, as well as for pain. And the dried powder in capsules can be used as an appetite stimulant. (source, Penelope Ody’s The Complete Medicinal Herbal)

Used Parts: The strobiles are used when they are fully formed and starting to open.

How to source: Hops Rhizome (Cascade), Hops Rhizome (Several Varieties on eBay), Hops Seed

How to start Humulus Lupulus: Hops can be planted from seed that must get cold treatment for 1-3 months to germinate. It will take several years for them to start bearing. It’s easier and faster to get hops to bear, when you plant purchased rhizomes in the ground just below the soil surface. I have no experience planting the seed.

Hops need a trellis or a rope to climb on. When hops are grown commercially, they are trained on ropes that reach 15 feet high. I can’t reach up that far and don’t like climbing on ladders.

So here is what I did in the picture above, which was back in Washington, I placed metal poles in the ground that reached about 8 feet above the ground, about 8 feet apart Then I strung ropes as anchors and and had my hops climb up one of those ropes.

I also had ropes crossing overhead to more poles where I grew different varieties and wasn’t worried about them mingling. The one on the picture favored my showerhouse which was next to one of the poles and started to cover it almost completely. I think one reason this hops plant liked its location so much was because it got watered consistently.

The whole hops patch turned into an arbor that way. Do be sure to use very strong rope or wire rope. Those hops get really heavy once they are loaded with strobiles.

I think hops would make a very nice arbor or a natural shade wall in front of a porch. Or plant it at the base of a fence and it will cover the fence quickly.

12. Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana)

Perennial. Here is another important cold and flu fighting partner that I love to have in my garden. For one thing, I can hardly ever find it in a store when I need it, especially the organic kind. And then I just like to have my important herbs close and easily accessible. 

Horseradish is great for so many things, and not just medicinally. Both the root and the leaves can be used in cooking. However, it truly shines with its health benefits. 

Horseradish has compounds called glucosinolates, which have anti-inflammatory effects. They may help reduce pain and swelling, which might help with arthritis and sinus infection. They also act as antioxidants, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals, which can help prevent or improve chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. 

Horseradish can help with digestion and reduce bloating by stimulating production of digestive enzymes. Its antibacterial properties can help fight harmful gut bacteria. Diuretic properties in horseradish can help flush out toxins from the urinary tract by increasing urine output and its antibacterial properties can help with urinary tract infections. (source)

Parts used: For medicinal purposes, we use the roots. They can be grated and mixed into dips and sauces or you can make a vinegar or alcohol extract and they are an important ingredient in fire cider. 

Where to source: Horseradish Root

How to start Armoracia rusticana: Plant root cuttings outdoors in early spring or in late fall, by burying them below the surface. Let it grow for a couple of years before harvesting to get the plant established. You can then dig it up and cut off a piece and replant the rest.

Horseradish can become a little invasive if you don’t keep it in check. Even small pieces of root can regrow. It’s best to plant it in an unused corner of your yard. I never did this, but I learned that you can grow it from seed too, however the only seeds I found when looking were on Etsy or eBay. Root cuttings are easy to find, maybe even in your grocery store. Just make sure they are organic and not treated with sprout inhibitors.

13. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Perennial. Lavender, the famous scent herb, is also a beautiful accent plant in any herb garden. It’s a pollinator attractor and its scent, mingled with the other herbs will create that enchanted herb garden feeling in the summer.

But Lavender is not just a pretty plant with an enticing scent. It also boasts some potent health benefits. For medicinal purposes, use L. angustifolia!

Lavender properties are aromatic, analgesic, antimicrobial, relaxing nervine, and carminative.

Lavender is often used for its calming and sedative properties. Full of volatile organic compounts, it is mostly used in the form of essential oils, scented candles and in diffusers for relaxation, to reduce anxiety, confusion and a tense “wrinkled forehead”. And it can improve sleep quality. 

However, I would caution against using essential oils, as they are quite toxic, they can have irritating effects and can produce allergic reactions. and they should only be used sparingly and occasionally, if at all.

It’s better to use Lavender flowers as a tea or a handful of the herbs tossed into boiling water to emit the calming scent without irritating your sinus passages. Or make a strong infusion to add it to your bath water.

Rosalee de la Forȇt points out in her outstanding book alchemy of herbs, that “lavender shows us how the simple act of smelling something can dramatically alter our mood by reducing anxiety and pain and promoting sleep.“

As an infused oil, lavender possesses antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that make it beneficial for skin conditions. It can help soothe eczema, psoriasis, acne, and burns. Lavender infused oil in a cream can also be used as a natural moisturizer and toner.

Lavender oil has analgesic properties that may help relieve pain from headaches when used in a diffuser or inhaled with steam, or muscle aches, and arthritis when applied topically. 

Internally as a tea, Lavender has been traditionally used to aid digestion, reduce bloating, gas, and nausea. Lavender contains antioxidants and antibacterial compounds that may help boost the immune system , protect from cellular damage, and fight off infections. 

Lavender has been linked to improving the mood and reducing depression. Its calming and relaxing effects may uplift spirits and reduce stress. Combining it with Lemon balm can help increase that effect. It has antiseptic qualities and is valuable in wound healing, for bee stings and to fight infections of wounds when used topically. (source, Rosalee de la Forȇt’s Alchemy of Herbs, source)

Parts used: The main healing properties are in the flowers, but all aerial parts can be used. A strong tea (which can be bitter) or a tincture is best for internal use. Externally you can use the essential oil with caution and well diluted with a carrier oil in a 1-4% ratio.

Better yet, make a lavender infused oil by steeping the whole dried plant in a healthy carrier oil, such as olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil or in tallow. Avoid common vegetable oils and canola oil!

Where to source: Lavender Seeds

How to start Lavandula angustifolia: Lavender seed has a low germination rate. Seed packets are generally overpacked for that reason, so sow generously. Also: with cold treatment your germination rate will improve manyfold!

So, start seeds indoors at least 8-10 weeks before the last frost in a seed starting mix. Surface sow and lightly press the seed into the soil mix, or barely cover with the soil mix or vermiculite. Now place the pot into the refrigerator or outside where it is cold. Then after 2-3 weeks, bring it inside where it’s warm so the seeds can wake up and germinate. Keep moist, and warm (60-70℉) until emergence. Be patient!

Transplant in the spring after last frost, 12-18″ apart. Plant shallow, do not bury the stem. Clip back in fall and mulch heavily. Hardiness varies but most are rated to be hardy in zones 5-9. Cuttings can be taken in the second fall when stems are getting just a bit woody. Keep in a sunny location in well-drained, gravely soil. pH is best near neutral.

14. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)

Perennial. Here is another essential in my garden. When I was a kid, I was wishing that I had been named Melissa. I thought of it as such a beautiful name. Melissa Lemon Balm has so many medicinal uses. I think she would make a great first herb to plant. She is very easy to grow.

My grandma always had a big bottle of ‘Klosterfrau Melissengeist’ in her medicine chest, which was an alcohol extract of 13 herbs with lemon balm as primary ingredient. If any of us were not feeling good, she’d pull out that bottle with the picture of a group of nuns on it, poured a few drops over a sugar cube and gave it to us to help calm our stomachs, ease a cold, or calm the jitters. I quite liked this sugary remedy, it was like a treat!

This lemon-scented herb has anti-spasmodic actions and is used for calming the nervous and digestive systems. It has been used for anxiety relief, nervous exhaustion, and to reduce stress. A tea taken before bed time, can help improve sleep and relieve sleep disorders.  Lemon balm is often combined with valerian, hops and chamomile for calming and anxiety reducing teas.

It has been used to treat digestive issues, gas, bloating and colic. It is quite safe for children too. Lemon balm is a strong, but gentle herb all at the same time.

Lemon balm can also increase cognitive function and has been used for combating autoimmune disorders and acute respiratory syndrome caused by viruses. I like to make lemon balm salves for cold sores. The tea usually puts me to sleep. (source)

Learn more about the many medicinal benefits, details about lemon balm and how to make a great healing salve for cold sores and much more in Lemon Balm Salve Recipe And Its Awesome Benefits!

Parts used: We use the aerial parts to make infused oils and salves, teas, and tinctures. 

Where to source: Lemon Balm Seeds

How to start Melissa officinalis: I recommend you start indoors in flats by surface sowing the seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Lightly press them into the soil and mist to keep moist. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or a plastic bag until germination.

Repot when it has 4 true leaves and transplant out, 12″ apart, after the last frost. For direct seeding, surface sow outdoors in spring or early fall about 1 inch apart. Just press into the soil and keep moist. Thinning is not necessary.

Lemon balm is a hardy perennial in zones 4-9. Grow it in moist, well-drained soil. Mulch in winter if your temps go below 0 degrees.

15. Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) or Hollyhocks (Alcea Rosea)

Perennial. These plants are so versatile and beautiful at the same time. I love planting them. Medicinally, they can be used interchangeably for their mucilaginous roots and leaves. 

However, if you’re going to grow them to make the original old-timey marshmallows, choose the Althea officinalis for this purpose. The roots are much softer than those of the Alcea Rosea. For beauty, most prefer the alcea rosea, however, I find the A. officinalis very beautiful and am happy seeing her in my garden! 

Marshmallow is great for sore throats, dry coughs and indigestion. The mucilage in Marshmallow coats and soothes inflamed and irritated mucous membranes, coats the stomach and can thus help with ulcers, stomach acid and gastritis.

The anti-inflammatory compounds in the plant can help reduce swelling and pain due to arthritis, skin irritations and urinary tract infections. And it is mentioned for aiding with bladder and kidney infections.

Marshmallow can act as a diuretic and flush out toxins from the body. Used topically, a root extract can soothe skin irritations, reduce inflammation and promote wound healing. Besides all that, marshmallow may have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and immune-boosting properties. (source, source, Book Medicinal Herbs)

Parts used: I have only used the roots, but the leaves, before the plant goes to seed, can also be used to make tinctures. The roots are most often dried and used in teas, or they can be tinctured fresh or made into a cough syrup or a salve. 

Where to source: Marshmallow Seeds, Hollyhock Seeds

How to start Althaea officinalis or Alcea Rosea: Marshmallow needs cold stratification to germinate successfully and the seeds should be planted outside in fall or late winter. You can also try winter-sewing her in milk jugs. Here is a really good post I found about how to do it!

Alternatively you can place the seed into the refrigerator in a baggie with some moist sand for 3-4 weeks before planting. Then plant into a pot 1/4″ deep either indoors where it’s warm or plant them straight into the garden in early spring.

Marshmallows are perennial and will keep coming back where you planted them. You can propagate them by taking a root division, once established, and plant it in a new location. Moist soil with good drainage is best and they should be spaced 18-24″ apart.

They get very tall, Mine grow about 5 feet tall. Harvest the roots in fall after the plant has died back. Marshmallow is a hardy perennial in zones 3-9.

16. Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Perennial. I cannot imagine a garden without Oregano. It goes in most of my meals and it’s so easy to grow, use, and dry for storage. It keeps its strong flavor quite well when dried unlike many other herbs. Oregano is in the mint family.

Medicinally it is well known for its antibacterial properties and is often used in teas and tinctures for respiratory support. Properties attributed to Oregano are anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-fungal. This could help treat fungal infections like thrush.

It may help reduce “bad” cholesterol and increase “good” cholesterol. There are reports that it can help with bacterial infections where antibiotics fail because of resistant bacteria.

Oregano oil might reduce inflammation associated with arthritis, muscle pain, and respiratory infections. In addition, it is used for gut issues where it helps to stimulate digestion and relieve indigestion, bloating, and diarrhea. 

Oregano is also a great ally during cold and flu season, where it can improve respiratory conditions such as coughs, colds, and bronchitis. Its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties can help fight infections and soothe irritated airways. Oregano is indicated for boosting the immune system and improving the body’s ability to fight off infections.

This powerful wellness partner is rich in antioxidants, such as carvacrol and thymol, that can protect from cell damage. This could possibly reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. And it might help with blood sugar regulation and wound healing.

What I use it for mostly is its antimicrobial properties on wounds. And I also quite like it as a vermifuge and digestive aid for my animals. (source, source, source)

Used parts: Use the leaves for teas, tinctures and as seasoning. I purchased an oregano oil for my animal care, and I add just a few drops to their worming drenches at times. But I’m planning to make my own oregano infused oil as well once my new little oregano patch here in Missouri is more established.

Where to source: Oregano Seeds

How to start Origanum vulgare: I recommend you start the seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before the last frost date in spring. Repot after the seedlings have 4 true leaves and transplant out after the danger of frost has passed, 18″ apart.

Oregano likes full sun, but tolerates partial shade. Just like the other mints, it tends to spread, so keep it away from other plants. It’s not as aggressive as peppermint in my experience, but it does push outward after it’s established. Oregano is a hardy perennial in zones 4-9.

17. Peppermint (Mentha × piperita)

Perennial. Peppermint is known for its soothing digestive aid properties, which can help relieve indigestion, bloat and IBS. If inhaled as a steam or a diffused essential oil, it might help with nausea and vomiting.

Peppermint contains menthol, which gives it cooling properties, and because of this, it has been used with some types of headaches, bee stings, toothaches and burns. It is also well known as the “breath mint”.

I don’t advocate the use of the essential oils, they can be quite toxic and irritating if used incorrectly. They should never be used on babies or children under 10.

I am extremely sensitive to scents, and other people’s perfumes or natural essential oils make my eyes water and burn almost instantly. If you have such a problem, try just brewing a tea, using the whole plant and inhaling the steam, or place peppermint teabags on the temples. This can help in a more gentle way.

Young children should not inhale the steam of peppermint, it can make conditions worse because it can be an irritant in their tender membranes. You might give chamomile a try for the young ones, it is more gentle but also works to relief inflammed passages.

Peppermint has been used as a muscle relaxant and to help with menstrual cramps, stomach cramping and spasms. Peppermint contains rosmarinic acid, which can help with seasonal allergies.

If inhaled as a steam or taken as a tea, peppermint can help with mental alertness, increase focus and concentration and boost the memory (I need some of that!!). (source, Medicinal Herbs book)

While peppermint as a whole herb has not been studied extensively, various compounds in peppermint have. And so for the sake of turning to science to back anecdotes, we can conclude that while whole herb peppermint tea might not be as concentrated and strong, it sure does have these properties in it and it’s so much gentler on our bodies than single extracts.

Herbalism is unlike allopathic medicine, and it is important to understand the difference when turning to herbs for our health care. Science likes to isolate compounds in their research, but that is not what herbalism is about.

Herbs are meant to work as a whole and all the constituents in herbs support each other when we use it. Our bodies will be well equipped to process natural whole herbs, while many times we can have adverse reactions to single extracted compounds that our bodies cannot handle or does not know what to do with and they can cause imbalances in our bodies.  

Peppermint is easy to grow and great for hot teas to help with the issues mentioned above, or cold teas as a cooling and refreshing summer drink. It can be made into muscle-relaxing salves or massage oils and used as a steam for respiratory issues and headaches. It can be made into a whole herb extract if placed fresh into alcohol or vinegar and can be preserved in its most potent form that way for years. 

Parts used: The aerial parts are used for teas, steams, tinctures and salves.

Where to source: Peppermint Plants. I know that there are seeds for sale for peppermint, but it would not grow true from seed. You will get some kind of mint when planting them though.

How to start Mentha × piperita: Peppermint is a perennial herb that is actually a sterile hybrid plant and will not make seed. It propagates by sending rhizomes and can spread quite invasively that way.

If you want to grow pepperming, you’ll need to source a piece of the rhizome or a plant, and plant it in a spot where its aggressive growth habit does not crowd out other plants. It can also be grown around the base of your home to deter rodents. Many people plant it in large, shallow pots to contain it, or it’s own mini-raised bed. Peppermint is a hardy perennial in zones 3-9.

18. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), Herb of Rememberance

Rosemary is famous for being picky with regards to her growing conditions and it is a bit hard to get her to germinate in the first place. But once established she can grow quite old in the right conditions. And growing her is so worth it!

Rosemary acts as a mild and uplifting stimulant and is aromatic, carminative, hepatic, and antimicrobial. One of Rosemary’s highest praises is for her powerful antioxidant properties. She is known to benefit the heart, digestion, liver and mood. 

Smelling diffused rosemary oil can improve concentration and has been used by some when taking exams for improved test scores where rosemary can reduce test anxiety and enhance memory. But it can also help with long-term memory and can have a significant beneficial effect on cognitive function in older people.

As a modulator, she can act as a stimulating as well as a relaxing nervine. Rosemary is also used for skin protection and has demonstrated the ability to decrease UV damage from sun exposure when taken as a tincture.

And Rosemary might be able to help with migraines and headaches. She is also a circulatory stimulant that can improve poor circulation, low blood pressure, and improve heart health. And Rosemary can act on digestive issues like gas, nausea, cramping and bloating. 

And as if that’s not enough, if you have a cold, or flu, try getting some comfort from her warming properties during fever shivers and with stagnant congestion in sinuses and lungs.

In addition, she has a reputation for being very effective in stimulating hair growth when used as an oil pack.

Lastly, Rosemary has long been used to help with inflammatory pain such as in arthritis if taken internally and externally. (Medicinal Herbs book, Alchemy of Herbs book, source, source, source).

Parts used: We use the leaves and tender branches. Rosemary is most often used as an essential oil, but care must be taken as essential oils are quite toxic and they should be used very diluted and not be used internally. I don’t have a page on rosemary yet, but you can check out this one for some recipes.

Where to source: Rosemary Seeds

How to start Salvia rosmarinus: Rosemary has a reputation for being hard to get started. Her seeds are reluctant to germinate and is best to start them indoors. Use a heat pad and surface sow more seeds than you feel are necessary. Keep moist until germination. Be patient. If you succeed, celebrate! If not, you can get root cuttings or an established plant from a nursery.

Rosemary does not tolerate hard frost well, in general and it is best to plant her in pots so you can take her indoors for the winter in colder regions. She is rated hardy in Zones 7-10.

19. Sage (Salvia officinalis)

Perennial. Don’t think that sage only shines when mixed into the stuffing that you cook with your turkey on Thanksgiving. It is wonderful for so much more.

Sage is honestly one of my favorite plants in the garden. Its silvery leaves are so beautiful and its blue blossoms are loved by pollinators. I use it quite generously in my summer stir-fries, where I just throw a small handful of whole or slightly ripped leaves into the dishes. 

Key constituents of sage are camphor, thujone, cineole, flavonoids, phinolic acids, tannins, bitters. It is not an herb you want to use heavily, because of the thujone content, which is toxic when concentrated or in large quantities, but a cup or two of tea is a delightful drink that has great healing benefits. White Sage (Salvia apiana) can also be used the same way medicinally.

Sage should be avoided by nursing mothers, because it can dry up the milk supply. However, that could be looked at as a benefit, if you’re trying to dry up. Sage is a great digestive aid when you’re eating fatty meats. And it can be made into a bitter tonic for the liver and to reduce bad cholestorol.

As plant energies go, Sage is a warming, drying herb and is great to use for stress relief, especially when mixed with lemon balm, mint or rosemary. Sage can be helpful with hot flashes and her drying properties can reduce heavy sweating, night sweats in women and ‘night emissions’ in men. 

A tea of Sage can help rebuild strength during a long-term illness, and in such a situation, I would combine it with bone broth! Sage can also act as a cold and flu fighter.

Use a rinse of sage tea when you need to combat inflammation in the mouth, throat and tonsils. Rosemary Gladstar touts it as the best remedy in the form of a rinse, spray or gargle for laryngitis, tonsillitis and sore throat, sore gums and canker sores. (source, Medicinal Herbs book)

Parts used: Leaves are used in teas, infusions for gargles, rinses and sprays and extracted in honeys, oxymels and tinctures.

Where to source: Sage Seeds

How to start Salvia officinalis: Sage is a hardy perennial to zone 4. It prefers sandy soil and somewhat dry conditions in full sun. Sow directly at the last frost date or start indoors (my preference) 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Plant 3 seeds 1/4″ deep in individual pots and thin after they emerge to the strongest plant. Transplant 12″ apart when the soil has warmed and frost is no longer a threat.

Sage is a perennial, but should be replaced every 3 years or so since it will become woody. You can try to take a cutting and root it to start a new plant, or just save the seeds and start fresh.

20. Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica)

Ok, I have so many favorite herbs, but the Stinging Nettle is one of my top 3, no doubt. It is such a great plant if you don’t brush up against her accidentally. You might not like her then for a moment, but in light of all her benefits, that trait to sting you is an acceptable nuisance, and could even be considered a benefit if you have arthritis in that spot.

I advise planting Nettle in a corner of your yard where you don’t grow other herbs, just to minimize such uncomfortable encounters. 

Then when you want to harvest her, don some long sleeves and thick rubber gloves and go get yourself some nettles. Do be warned that she tends to sting right through jeans or other tight fitting clothing, the cloth part of nitrile garden gloves and those thin, disposable nitrile gloves. Ask me how I know!

Having that warning out of the way, let’s praise all the other qualities, and I’ll just quickly list a few here, because there is enough material to fill a book. The tough fibers of the nettle’s stalk were once used to make cloth that was finer than cotton or linen, but very tough.

Nettles can be used to eat as a vegetable, to make beer, teas, tinctures, and salves. 

Nettle makes a fine, super nutritious, spring vegetable far before your first greens show up in your garden. I use the young nettle tips in my soups for a month usually before other greens become available. Nettles were once the most important crop for the ancient Romans and Greeks for food, medicine and clothing.

Nettle’s medicinal uses throughout history have been for gout, rheumatism, anemia, exhaustion, skin problems, allergies, and hay fever. Nettle has been used for “growing pains” in children, menstrual difficulties, PMS, menopausal issues and it’s energy building properties. And she’s anti-inflammatory and detoxifying. 

An ancient use of nettle involves urtication, which is the practice of bundling some nettle plants and flogging an area with arthritic pain, to improve circulation to that area. This practice is still in use today. 

Rosemary Gladstar mentions an anecdote in her book Medicinal Herbs, where after a long lecture about possible side effects of using medicinal plants in conjunction with allopathic medication, the herbalist David Hoffman concluded “When in doubt, use nettle“. Incredibly benevolent (except for its sting) and incredibly beneficial, that’s nettle in a nutshell. Just good for “everything”! (source: Medicinal Herbs book)(source)

Parts used: Mostly the leaves for teas and tinctures or as a vegetable. But the root is also used as a tonic and the seeds for stamina and to increase energy.

Where to source: Stinging Nettle Seeds

How to start Urtica Dioica: Sow directly outdoors in late winter to allow for cold-stratification of the seeds. Indoors, start them 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Place the plant pot into the refrigerator for 30-60 days and then take it out to allow the seeds to germinate in a warm room. Transplant after the seedlings are about 3-4 inches tall. Germination is slow.

Nettles are easily propagated from runner cuttings if you know where to find a patch. They prefer moist soil and are super hardy to -30 degrees F.

21. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)

Perennial. This pretty “weed” is considered invasive by some and it used to grow everywhere on the land where I lived in Washington. This is a powerful medicinal plant that has been used since ancient times and has been mentioned by Dioscorides, Theophrastus, Galen and Paracelsus. Even now it is highly regarded for its benefits to the mood and its positive effects on depression. 

According to Rosemary Gladstar, St. John’s wort is best taken in 2 week cycles for several months for chronic conditions. I can be very effective for mild depression, anxiety, stress, tension, nerve damage, and SAD (seasonal affective disorder).

St. John’s wort has spirit lifting properties, but it is also antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory, which makes it helpful for treating bacterial and viral infections such as shingles and herpes. There have been promising studies that it may be able to inhibit the AIDS virus. 

The beautiful deep red oil that results when the flower buds are infused in a carrier oil, might just be the best aid for healing trauma to the skin. It can help with bruising, sprains, burns and injuries of all kinds, and it promotes tissue repair and speeds recovery. (Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs)

Used Parts: Typically we use the yellow flower buds after they swell and just before they open. You’ll know when the time is right when you squeeze the flower bud. If it’s ready to use, it will stain your fingers bright red. Use about 70 percent buds and 30 percent flowers and leaves. This can be made into an infused oil, salves, liniments and tinctures, as well as teas.

Where to source: St. John’s Wort Seeds

How to grow Hypericum Perforatum: Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Soak overnight before sowing them. Press the seeds into the soil without covering them, they need light to germinate. Transplant when the seedlings are 2″ tall. Or sow directly outdoors after the danger of frost has passed. Space 12″ apart. St. John’s Wort is a hardy perennial in zones 4-9.

22. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)

Perennial. Often regarded as just a culinary herb, thyme actually has very potent health benefits. It is also a great pollinator plant for a bee garden. Thyme is in the mint family. There is a creeping version of thyme (Thymus serpyllum) that makes a very nice and fragrant ground cover or border plant and comes with many of the same health benefits too.

Thyme’s properties are aromatic, antimicrobial, carminative, modulating diaphoretic, antispasmodic, expectorant, emmenagogue, vermifuge. I will post more herb pages here in the future where I can get into more detail on each herb. But if you want to dive deeper right now, I found a great post on the benefits of thyme that explains all these terms beautifully, and I thought you might enjoy it.

This unassuming plant can be used as an infused honey, which is one of my favorite uses. You can make an infused vinegar or vinegar extract, tincture, use it in steam inhalation, infused oils and salves, as culinary spice and cough syrup. 

The energetics of thyme are warming and drying. Thyme is thought to be especially beneficial for infections, symptoms of colds and flus, inflammation, and whooping cough. 

This versatile herb has been used for infections internally or externally such as in urinary tract infections, yeast infections, and topical fungal infections. It is indicated for digestive spasms, menstrual cramps, burns and toothaches. And Thyme can also be applied as a powerful and effective disinfectant and makes a great rinse for sore throats and oral infections. 

A tea or infused honey can be used for treating coughs and chest complaints. It is rich in antioxidants and has a marked tonic effect in supporting normal body functions. It has a positive effect on the glandular system and especially the thymus gland. (source, Rosalee de la Forȇt’s Alchemy of Herbs, Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs)

Used Parts: We use the leaves and flowers.

Where to source: Thyme Seeds

How to start Thymus vulgaris: Thyme is easy to start from seeds, either sown directly outside in late spring or indoors in pots. For an early start surface sow the seeds 8-10 weeks before the last frost date. Press seeds into the soil or just barely cover them and keep them moist until they germinate. Transplant into separate pots once it has 4 leaves.

Pinch off growing tips if you want bushier plants. prune it back to 4 inches tall in fall. Harvest lightly in the first year. Then heavier in the second year. Thyme makes a great house plant. Replace every 3-4 years, as it tends to get woody. It is a hardy perennial in zones 5-9.

23. Tulsi or Holy Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum)

Perennial in frost free areas or grown as Annual. Tulsi, also known as holy basil, is an essential herb to grow with so many benefits. It is a popular herb in Thai and Asian cuisine and an important herb in Ayurveda.

Tulsi is antimicrobial, an aromatic digestive, relaxing nervine, and cardiovascular tonic. It is an expectorant, has immuno-modulating, neuroprotective and analgesic properties and it is rich in antioxidants.

As an adaptogen, it can reduce stress levels, and anxiety. In addition, it can provide relief from headaches, support immune functions and help with digestive issues. 

Tulsi is used for respiratory ailments such as bronchitis, and it is beneficial for the skin, for eye health, and mouth infections. It might improve heart health and lower cholesterol levels, as well as help with kidney stones. 

Tulsi can help lower or maintain blood sugar levels and lower blood pressure. It is used to keep wounds from getting infected, to reduce inflammation and to speed healing. 

A tea of Tulsi leaves can help flush out toxins, cleanse the digestive system and cleanse the blood.

Fresh, crushed, tulsi leaves have analgesic qualities that can help with pain and inflammation when it is topically applied to wounds, insect bites, and ringworm.

I’m sure you can see that Tulsi is a great ally to have in your garden and one to have in your disease fighting arsenal. (source, Rosalee de la Forȇt’s Alchemy of Herbs)

Part used: We use the aerial parts up until bloom and before seeds form. The seeds themselves are also used for immune support.

Where to source: Tulsi (Holy Basil) Seeds

How to start Ocimum tenuiflorum: It is best to start holy basil seeds outdoors in the garden. Just sow on the surface, press the seeds lightly into the soil and barely cover. Keep moist until germination.

Start indoors about 6 weeks before the last frost. Keep the seeds at about 70 degrees F until germination. It likes to be warm and will not tolerate frost. Tulsi is a tender Annual that likes moderately rich, moist soil.

24. Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Perennial. I had to add Turmeric after I had my list completed, because it didn’t seem right without it. Turmeric is such an important herb and I use it every day in some form.

The rhizome of the turmeric plant is a deep yellow to orange color. Turmeric is in the same family as ginger. And they share many powerful properties. However, each excels at a few specific properties, and I feel that they work well when taken together. 

Turmeric has such a long list of benefits when you start to research it’s properties on the medicinal web pages. From WebMd to Dr. Axe, it is benefits galore. I like Rosalee de la Forȇt’s explanation why turmeric can be so incredibly useful for so many ailments: In her Alchemy of herbs she answers “how can one herb do so much?”  With the explanation that

“it may be due to turmeric’s incredible ability to modulate inflammation. Inflammation plays a significant role in cancer, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, asthma, arthritis, ulcerative colitis, periodontitis, eczema, psoriasis and many other ailments. In fact, many of the major diseases plaguing the Western world can be linked to chronic systemic inflammation”. (she cites as her source Khansari, Nemat, et. al on ‘Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress as a major cause of age-related diseases and cancer’). 

The important takeaway here is that turmeric is an inflammation modulator, meaning, it can help the body to heal the bad inflammation while leaving the good, acute inflammation, that our body produces to heal a bruise for example, to run its course.

This is an important distinction, which sets whole herbs into a different class compared with conventional medications. The latter, when they are prescribed for chronic inflammation, attack all inflammation, good or bad, without differentiation. Do get her book if you’re looking for a great book on herbs with lots of medicinal recipes.

I have recently published a long list of the many benefits attributed to turmeric in a post about how to make fermented turmeric paste. Fermented turmeric is a great way to keep turmeric around for daily use in a convenient form. 

Used parts: We mostly use the rhizome for medicine, which can be found fairly readily in grocery stores nowadays. It is pretty expensive usually, especially the organic kind, but you can easily grow it yourself! Do get organic rhizomes for planting, otherwise they may have been treated to prevent sprouting.

Where to source: Here is a link to a box of organic ginger and turmeric on Amazon, or you can get it at Azure Standard.

How to start Curcuma longa: Turmeric is grown from the rhizome in the same way you grow ginger. You can plant it shallowly in a wide pot with potting soil. Keep it inside till all danger of frost has passed and bring it back inside in the fall before frost threatens, to keep it growing until it goes dormant.

Harvest rhizomes as needed and leave the rest or replant a few. Fedco seed company has a great turmeric growing guide on their website if you want to get more detail. Eventually I’ll be posting more about each of these herbs too and you can sign up for my email notifications here.

25. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Perennial. Yarrow is another one of my all time favorite herbs. I have found it growing abundantly wherever I have lived, which makes me think that we’re meant to have access to it. And so planting it was never necessary. However, it is such a pretty herb and a pollinator attractor, that you might want to have it show up in your garden. 

You can collect seed from wild growing plants or dig up a piece of the root or you can get Yarrow seeds from a seed store. For medicinal use, however, it is important to get the Achillea millefolium variety, which is the wild native form and is normally white or light pink.

Yarrow has abundant health benefits. I think it’s most famous for its wound healing properties. Crushing the leaves or chewing them and pressing them onto a bleeding wound will quickly stop the blood flowing which makes a great first aid when you’re out in nature. It is especially effective when mixed with shepherd’s purse, which is also quite common in the wild.

But yarrow doesn’t just stop the bleeding, it is also antimicrobial to fight infection and anti-inflammatory to help with swelling. Its astringent properties can also help with diarrhea, indigestion, heartburn and bile production.

For people with strong menstrual cramps, it can reduce the pain and severity, and regulate menstrual flow, and muscle spasms, and it can be uterine toning. Topical application can help with skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. 

Yarrow is also suggested for use with blood sugar control and to reduce cholesterol levels. Yarrow has antioxidant and anti-cancer properties and it has been used to help with anxiety and insomnia.

As a modulator, yarrow is at once stimulating and sedative, such as it can bring on a reluctant menstruation but on the other hand it can also reduce heavy bleeding. (source, Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs)

Parts Used: Be sure to use the wild Yarrow, A. millefolium. We’ll use the leaves, stems and flowers for medicine. Pick when the flowers first open and before they get visited by pollinators if possible early in the morning, this is when it’s concentration of medicinal oils is greatest.

Where to source: Yarrow Seeds

How to start Achillea millefolium: If you can get a root cutting, just plant it where you want your yarrow to grow and water it in thoroughly. Sow seeds outdoors very early in spring to give them a cold treatment or place them into the refrigerator for a month in damp sand, then surface sow into pots, cover super lightly with vermiculite, and transplant outside once they are established. They need light for germination.

Yarrow is a hardy perennial in zones 2-9. Divide every 3-4 years to retain vigor.

Conclusion

Well, if you stuck with me this long, I congratulate you. If you can’t tell, I love to talk and write about herbs and their uses. It’s been a passion of mine since I was a young kid when I went to discover medicinal and edible plants in the wild with my mother. 

Now I hope to get you interested as well. And if you feel the call to learn more, let me know in the comments below and what you’d like to learn more about. Herbalism is a very complex subject and no human being can ever know it all. It’s just way too big for one brain, so let’s discover herbs together and help each other to learn more about herbs and their uses!

Well I hope to get you started on planning your herb garden and if this is helpful to you, I’d be very glad if you leave me a comment and like and share my page. And now I hope you can start making your own list of favorites by growing and using herbs!

If you would like to get notified whenever I add more content on herbs and their uses, as well as other gardening articles and herbal recipes please Subscribe Here!

Disclaimer: And I just want to remind you, that I am not a doctor or claim to be qualified in any way to give medical advice. I am self-taught and this reflects just my opinions, experiences with herbs and what I’ve learned from years of studying herbalism, herbs and their uses. It is meant as a reference and for information that I hope might help you appreciate herbs and their traditional uses.

And be sure to always consult with your health practitioner before using any herbs, especially if you are currently taking medication or have serious health issues, are pregnant or nursing. Allergic reactions are possible with any foods, herbs or medicine, so use new foods and herbs cautiously. And always consult more than one source before you consider using herbs for their benefits.

Read more about herbs and gardening here:

Make A Lemon Balm Salve – Benefits of lemon balm and how to make a salve for cold sores, bug repellant, bug bite relief and more.

How To Get Bigger Garlic – What to do to get big and healthy garlic bulbs. When and how to plant and harvest.

Grow your own peppers from seeds – Your complete guide to growing peppers. From selecting seeds to planting, growing, companion planting, and harvesting. Find out the benefits of growing your own peppers and how to preserve them.

How to Grow Celery From Seed To Harvest – All about the celery. If you want to grow it for bulbs, stalks, leaves or seeds. This post has you covered.

Black Walnut Tincture – Black walnut has been used as a deworming tincture for a long time. Make your own with my recipe. I like to use it as part of my goat deworming routine with great results so far.

Grow mushrooms at home in your garden This is one of the most rewarding experiences in wood chip gardening. Grow your own mushrooms intentionally. It’s easy and they taste so delicious!

How to prepare your soil to plant fruit trees How to prepare your planting hole, what to put in it and how to give your tree the best odds for growing up strong and healthy.

How to start onions from seed – Learn all about growing onions from seed to harvest and how to prepare them for long term storage. Plus how to choose the right varieties!

Fermented Garlic – Lacto-fermented garlic paste is kind of a special food. It’s the ultimate convenience food and health supplement. But besides that, it gets better as it ages. Just like a fine wine.

Fermented Ginger Honey – Keep this potent fermented health food on hand. Use the powers of Ginger and Honey in a tasty syrup form that you’ll love.

Fermented Ginger Paste – A convenient way to have ginger on hand when you need some, either as seasoning in cooking or baking, or to use this powerful ally in your daily health routine.

Fermented Turmeric Paste – Make this convenient fresh turmeric paste for your wellness and as a convenient seasoning for your curries and other foods. Turmeric has so many benefits, find out all about it and why fermenting it makes it even better.

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Refer to the individual plants for single seed packets, rhizomes and roots, please, but here is a collection of most of the seeds mentioned in a set:

A collection of Medicinal Herb Seed Packets at a great price. I’m sure there aren’t too many seeds in each packet, I just ordered mine and will update this once I check it out. But most often, we only need a small sprinkle of seeds to get plenty of plants. So I feel this might be a great bargain for getting a herb garden started.

You can also find many of these herbs at Trueleaf Market!

Books and resources:

Materia Medica of Western Herbs by Carole Fisher

Medicinal Herbs by Rosemary Gladstar

Alchemy of herbs by Rosalee de la Forȇt

The Book Of Herbal Wisdom by Matthew Wood

Pacific Northwest Medicinal Plants by Scott Kloos (I didn’t refer to this in my text today, but it is an oustanding herbal reference for uses of herbs and foraging herbs in the Northwest states)

Links For Items To Help You Grow Your Own Vegetables

Large 4ft long wire shelf with wheels
4-ft LED shop lights
Table mount grow lights
Heating pads with thermostat
Emergency blankets
Fish emulsion
Waterproof seedling trays
48-cell inserts
3″ seedling pots
All-in-one seed starting kit
Seed starting mix
Compost
Vermiculite 
EM-1
Jadam
Dibber
Hori hori knife
Cobra head cultivator
concrete mixing pan
Gorilla garden cart with removable sides

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