Watermint is a member of the mint family, one that has been in use since the time of the Ancient Greeks. Some historians believe that watermint is the mint referred to in Greek myth of Menthe, the nymph who was turned into the mint plant by jealous Persephone. They also believe that it is watermint […]
Ginger Mint: The Spicy Hybrid Mint
Ginger mint is a mint varietal that is grown in Europe and Asia. It goes by several names including Scotch mint and Vietnamese mint. Its Latin name is Mentha x gracilis. It is a hybrid between spearmint (Mentha spicata) and corn mint (Mentha arvensis). It does not grow in the wild. The species to which […]
Epazote: A Pungent Herb From Yucatan
Epazote is a Central American herb that has a history of use dating back thousands of years to the Aztecs and the Mayans. They used it both for its medicinal value and as a culinary herb. The main use of the herb by both these civilizations was medicinal. Among the different names for this herb […]
Stevia: The Paraguayan Sweetener
Stevia comes from a plant related to ragweed that grows in the Amambay Mountain range in Paraguay. It was known to the Guarani people of that region long before the European colonists arrived. The Guarani people recognized the herb’s powerful sweetening ability and used the leaves to mute the bitterness of mate, a steeped beverage […]
Fingerroot: The Medicinal Ginger
Fingerroot is a rhizome in the ginger family that is shaped like a hand with the fingers extended, hence its name. It is native to the Yunnan Province in China and you can find it in Malaysia as well. Thai cooks refer to fingerroot as krachai; Malaysians call it temu kunci. In English, it is […]
Agrimony: The Gunshot Herb
Agrimony has quite a few names including liverwort and cockleburr. The cockleburr was given to it because its seeds tend to stick to the clothes of passersby. It is a member of the rose family that originates in Africa and has been used as medicine for centuries. Its Latin name is Agrimonia eupatoria. The first […]
Wild Garlic: The Herb For Foragers
There are several plants in the Allium family that are sometimes known as wild garlic. They include Allium ursinum, Allium vineale, and Allium canadense. All three of them belong to the same family that also includes garlic and onion. All three of these wild garlic varieties share the same characteristics. Allium ursinum is known and […]
Hyssop: The Biblical Cleansing Herb
Hyssop is a member of the mint family and is best known for its mentions in the Bible. It is referenced in Scripture as a cleansing herb. It is also a common remedy in traditional folk medicine. It’s worth mentioning that there two herbs referred to as hyssop; Hyssopus officinalis and Origanum maru. Some people […]
Salad Burnet: The Cucumber Herb
Depending on which source you believe, salad burnet’s place of origin is either the Mediterranean region or in the British Isles. Regardless of which location it comes from, you can find it all over Europe and in China. It has been used for more than 2,000 years and was known to the ancient Greeks, who […]
Lemon Balm: A Lemony Sedative Herb
The use of lemon balm has been documented in 300 BCE, which means that this herb has been in use for well over two millennia. Historians believe lemon balm to have originated in Southern Europe and was introduced to Spain in the 7th century by Moors. The Greeks referred to it by what is now […]
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