Sweet Basil - Ocimum Basilicum

Sweet Basil – Ocimum basilicum

On September 12, 2011, in Cooking Herbs, Healing Herbs, by admin
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Sweet Basil, or ocimum basilicum, is a great healing herb as well as a tasty herb used in kitchens all over the world. Often described as having a spicy, yet sweet, peppery and minty flavor and aroma, sweet basil is a great all around herb to have on hand.

We have all heard of Sweet Basil, but there may be a lot of information you have never heard about the many uses of sweet basil in the kitchen and the herbal medicine cabinet.

Sweet basil is a fairly easy to grow herb, that many organic herb gardeners just love to grow. With many varieties of basil on the market, it shouldn’t be too hard to find your favorite variety and begin growing this great medicinal herb, in the next growing season.

 Growing Sweet Basil:

Sweet basil (ocimum basilicum) is an annual herb, that usually grows to between 1 and 2 feet tall, with small spiked-looking flowers that are usually white, pink or purple.

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anise hyssop herb plant

Anise Hyssop: agastache foeniculum

On August 19, 2011, in Cooking Herbs, Healing Herbs, by admin
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Anise Hyssop, also called agastache foeniculum in the herbal world, is a perennial herb that grows to 3-4 feet tall in some areas. Grown best in zones 4 through 9, it is easy to grow since it is self seeding. This means you can plant it once and it will grow back again and again.

Growing Anise hyssop is fairly easy. Just plant Anise Hyssop seeds directly into the soil, about a foot apart, just around a week before the last frost in your area. Anise hyssop will thrive in direct sunlight, but since it is fairly tall it is usually grown in the rear of an herb garden.

The flowers of the Anise Hyssop plant bloom from midsummer to fall and are described as a purple-blue or lavender colour and are edible. They have a licorice flavor and scent that many people love. The leaves are toothy edged, spade shaped leaves that look a lot like leaves from plants of the “mint” variety.

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Anise (pimpinella anisum) | The Anise Herb Plant

On August 6, 2011, in Cooking Herbs, Healing Herbs, by admin
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anise - pimpinella anisumAnise (pimpinella anisum)

Description of the Anise Plant

Anise is an herbaceous annual, flowering-plant, from the “apiaceae” family, that grows to between 2 and 3 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide. Pimpinella anisum has white, to yellow-white “umbels” that bloom in the summer time. The leaves of the Anise plant are said to look very similar to “Queen Ann’s Lace”, and very fern-like in appearance. Anise is thought to be a native to the Mediterranean and S.W. Asian regions.

Flavor and Aroma:

Anise has a spicy, yet sweet flavor and an aroma that is similar to black licorice. Pimpinella anisum, has often been compared to licorice/liquorice, fennel, and tarragon in both flavor and aroma.

Growing Anise in your herb garden:

Anise will self-seed after the first time you plant it, so expect to have it come back next year, without the extra work of re-planting it. For initial planting, plant pimpinella anisum seeds directly into the soil they will be grown in, or you may start your pimpinella anisum seeds indoors - approximately 8 weeks before final front in your area, then transplant them into the ground – after final frost.

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