Plant Profile: Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)
Karen Native to southern Europe, central and western Asia, and North Africa, this herbaceous perennial is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, that also includes basil, rosemary, and beebalm. Plants…
Plants of Colonial Williamsburg: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare aka F. officinale)
Fennel is a herbaceous perennial and a member of the carrot family, Apiaceae that also includes parsley, celery, and Queen Anne’s lace. It is native to the Mediterranean region region…
Plants of the Bible: Bay (Laurus nobilis) or Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani)
The Hebrew word אזרח (ereh) has been translated in various ways but actually means native born, i.e. a tree not transplanted, but growing on its native soil. Some authors assumed…
Plants of the Bible: Dill (Anethum graveolens)
Dill is a cool weather annual native to northern Africa and the Arabian peninsular but is widely grown in Europe where its seeds and leaves are used as a culinary…
Plants of the Bible: Coriander (Coriandrum sativa)
Also known as cilantro and Chinese parsley, coriander is a warm weather annual native to southern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean but is widely cultivated elsewhere as a culinary herb…
Plants of the Bible: Cumin (Cuminum cyminum)
Cumin is a herbaceous annual native to the eastern Mediterranean east to India and has been known from ancient Egyptian times. Although there have been many claims about the medicinal…
Plant Profile: Watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
Also called yellowcress, this aquatic or semi-aquatic perennial is native to Europe and Asia where it grows in cold lakes and reservoirs, and along slow-moving streams and rivers. It is…
Plant Profile: Clary (Salvia sclarea)
Clary is a biennial or short lived perennial native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region but has been introduced to a variety of locations around the world and naturalized…
Plant Profile: European Pennyroyal (Menta pulegium)
Native to Europe, North Afrcia, and the Middle East, this herbaceous perennial is also known as pennyrile, hillwort, brotherwort, run-by-the-ground, lurk-in-the-ditch, pudding grass, and pulegium. It is a member of…
Plant Profile: Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
This herbaceous perennial is native to the Mediterranean where it grows wild in the mountainous area of southern France, northern Greece, and the Balkans. It is a member of the…