10 Little Known Facts About Herbs

By Jo Ann Stevenson, Harris County Master Gardener

Jo Ann Stevenson is a native Texan, an Aggie, and a Master Gardener since 2020.  She enjoys writing and editing for the Urban Dirt newsletter, coordinating the Green Thumb lecture series, and serving on the Education and Publicity committees, and the Board of Directors.  When she’s not gardening, you can find her browsing in a local resale or antiques shop.

Herbs are Easy!

Herbs are one of the easiest plants to grow, which make them excellent for beginning gardeners.  One exception is lavender – there are certain varieties of lavender that grow well in some parts of Texas and others that definitely do not.  Try some easier herbs to get started, and your results will be filled with fragrance, texture and flavor.

Herbs are grown for culinary uses, and some are also planted for ornamental aesthetics.  I once heard that rosemary should be planted at the entrance of every garden.  Imagine brushing your hand on the rosemary every time you walk into your garden – I can smell that clean, fresh aroma just thinking about it!

Here are 10 facts you might not know about herbs:

1. Calendula (aka pot marigold) flowers are edible and can be used to make dye; they also have medicinal qualities.
2. “Chamomile” means “ground apple”. The lacy foliage is fragrant, but it’s the tiny daisy-like flowers that make the apple-scented tea.  The tea can also be used as a hair rinse.
3. Coriander is also known as Chinese parsley (we know it as cilantro). Cilantro is the leaf and the dried seeds are coriander.
4. The large green caterpillars that eat dill will turn into swallowtail butterflies, so plant enough for you and them.
5. All mints appreciate moisture and do best where they get afternoon shade; a good place to plant mint is at the base of a downspout.
6. Parsley is probably the most used and least eaten herb in the world because it is used mostly as a garnish. Did you know parsley can be battered and deep-fried, or browned with butter and garlic to make a basting sauce for grilled meats?
7. Rosemary and thyme can be harvested when the plants are in full bloom; simply clip the tops of the leaves and flowers at the same time.
8. Dried sage leaves should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to preserve their delicate flavor and keep them from becoming rancid.
9. There are more than 400 species of thyme, including common, English, German, golden, lemon, mother of-thyme, silver, and woolly.
10. Some herb seeds such as dill, anise, caraway, or coriander can be used for flavorings. No need to plant them!

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Additional Resources:

Vegetable Garden Planting Dates from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

Gardening Solutions from IFAS Extension, University of Florida

WATCH: This month's Green Thumb -- Fiona Kilbride presents "Hooked on Herbs"

Complete Container Herb Gardening

Herb Gardening From the Ground up

The Herb Garden Cookbook