The saw leaf plant is native to the Caribbean and Central America but has become naturalized in parts of Southeast Asia and Florida. It was taken to Southeast Asia by the Chinese who were seeking an alternative to cilantro. Saw leaf belongs to the same family that includes carrots and …
Mugwort is native to Europe and Asia and used as both a medicine and a culinary herb on both continents. This herb is especially common throughout the United Kingdom. Mugwort was known in Ancient Rome and Roman soldiers are said to have put it in their sandals to give stamina …
Carrots originated in the region that is now Iran and Afghanistan. Early evidence suggests that the carrot’s use as a food goes back as far as 3000 BCE. Over its long history, this root vegetable has been cultivated to grow bigger and taste better than its ancestors. Early carrots came …
The celery plant that supplies celery leaves comes from the Mediterranean region. The Ancient Egyptians used celery in their cult of the dead celebrations. Celery leaves were among the items found in the tomb of Tutankhamun. Celery was also highly prized by the Ancient Greeks, who used it as a …
Kasuri methi is sometimes spelled kasoori methi. Sometimes this herb is referred to simply as methi leaves. All are versions of the name given to dried fenugreek leaves. Fenugreek is one of those plants that provide both a culinary herb and a spice. The leaves are the kasuri methi herb …
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is a berry native to the Americas and parts of both Europe and Asia. Bilberry belongs to the same family as blueberries. Other members of the Vaccinium family include cranberries and huckleberries. Bilberry’s use goes back to Ancient Rome. The fruit was mentioned by both Pliny and …
Pokeweed is a leafy North American plant that was once widely used as medicine and as food by Native Americans. You can find it throughout the Eastern states and in parts of California as well. How it was used differed from tribe to tribe, the Rappahannock people made a fermented …
Bistort is native to Europe and parts of Asia but now grows all over the world. You can find it in the Eastern US, especially in the New England region. It is grown mainly as an ornamental plant but was used as medicine and food for much of history. Bistort …