Top 8 Rare & Medicinal Herbs
1. Ashwagandha: (Withaniasomnifera) Also known as “Indian gensing,” ashwagandha is popular with herbalists for use as both a sedative, an anti-inflammatory aid, and an aphrodisiac. It’s a woody shrub that grows up to 36” tall and wide with small chartreuse flowers, and prefers full sun and consistent water. Grow it as an annual for its roots and leaves.
2. Brahmi: (Bacopa monnieri) This herbaceous groundcover loves lots of moisture, and can even thrive in a water garden. It’s been used for centuries as an anti-anxiety, stress reliever, and pain reliever (specifically, stomach distress). It has lovely white blooms from summer to fall, grows 6” high and wide, and thrives in Hardiness Zones 8-11.
3. Epazote: (Chenopodium ambrosioides) Popular in both Mexican and Caribbean bean dishes, epazote contains properties believed to reduce gas associated with ingesting said bean dishes. No wonder it’s popular. It grows 4’ T x 3’ W, with green leaves and pale green flowers, and requiring full sun and well-drained soil. Treat this one as an annual unless you live in a very mild climate.
4. Feverfew: (Tanacetum parthenium) This 24”-36” T aromatic herb has small yellow and white flowers with a strong citrus scent. It’s been used for ages as, no surprise here, a fever and headache reducer. The medicinal parts of the plant are its flowers and leaves. Grow it in full sun to part shade and well-drained soil in Hardiness Zones 4-9.
5. Holy Basil: (Ocimum tenuiflorum) Also known as tulsi, this medicinal herb has long been revered in India as not only a sacred plant, but one that treats a wealth of ailments including colds, flu, respiratory infections, and aches and pains. With green or red leaves and pink flowers, it grows up to 18” tall in full sun and well-drained soil. Treat it as an annual.
6. Marshmallow: (Althaea officinalis) You gotta love an herb with the name of one of my favorite snack foods! With gray green leaves and small pink flowers, marshmallow (or marsh mallow) is an easy-to-grow plant used for centuries to treat inflammation and irritation. It grows up to 6’ tall in full to part sun, and in moist and well-drained soil. Hardiness Zones 3-9.
7. Mullein: (Verbascum thapsus) This rare herb is one you may have heard of, but probably never see next to the thyme and basil at the garden center. Growing to 6’ tall with yellow flowers, the leaves of this plant are thought to address lung issues, coughs, and laryngitis. It loves full sun to part sun conditions, and is not too picky about soil as long as it’s well-drained. Hardiness Zones 4-10.
8. Indian Tobacco: (Nicotiana rustica) Growing up to 5’ tall with yellow flowers, Indian tobacco has yellow flowers and flourishes in full to part sun. In smaller doses, it’s considered a stimulant, but in larger doses, the effect is opposite, acting as a nerve depressant. Use with caution! Overdosing can lead to severe depression. Annual outside of Zones 7-10.
5 Other Note-Worthy Herbs
Sorrel: If you already have sorrel in your garden, you know that it also grows in the heat, producing a very strong flavor. At the end of the warm season, cut all the foliage back (great for the compost pile) and wait for new foliage to grow. During cool months, sorrel develops a more lemony flavor and is great in salads, soups, and sauces. Sorrel is also filled many health benefits, and is said to be good for kidney health, reduce the risk of heart disease, improve eyesight and optimize the body’s immune system. Studies have even revealed that sorrel could kill certain types of cancer cells.
Parsley: Parsley tends to thrive better in the cooler temperatures. It’s high in Vitamin C, iron, and chlorophyll, and is a great food for the swallowtail butterfly larvae. Use it as a garnish or throw a handful into your smoothie or green drink. Parsley may improve blood sugar levels, and is a great source of Vitamin K, which can support your bone and heart health.
Chervil: Chervil has a licorice flavor, grows well in cooler weather, and will even set seed — so look for it to pop up again next year when the mercury dips! Chervil is a great balance for egg dishes, so if you have chickens try experimenting with it this winter. Known for it’s antioxidant effects, chervil may play a role in treating diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.
Cilantro: Wherever you pulled up basil is where you should plant cilantro. It will start to bloom as the days get warmer, but if you keep harvesting the flowers off, you can extend the harvest. Add it to your meals to get an extra boost of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E!
Chamomile: Known for it’s soothing effects, chamomile is said to help with you sleep, ease anxiety, and help upset stomachs. This herb will really thrive in the winter, and as it starts to put out flowers in early spring, you can harvest those for teas, tinctures, and bath additives. Like chervil, it can set seed to produce more chamomile plants in your herb garden.
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
With a flavor similar to anise, the herb anise hyssop is a bit of a misnomer as it is neither anise seed or hyssop or a blend of the two. A member of the mint family, this herb adds a mild, minty, licorice flavor to salads and vegetable dishes. Fresh or dried leaves can be made into tea while the seeds are used as a substitute for anise in baking. Impressive spikes of lavender blossoms add an aesthetic touch to your herb garden.
Anise hyssop can be grown with almost any other herbs, including the alliums such as chives and garlic. Keep the growing media moist until plants are well established. You can then allow the soil to dry out slightly between watering.
Borage (Borago officinalis)
Also known as starflower, borage’s cucumber flavored leaves are commonly used for teas and other beverages. The bright, star-shaped blue flowers make an eye-catching garnish for salads, open-faced sandwiches, and dips while adding a hint of flavor. Their flavor diminishes when dried, so use them fresh.
Borage needs full sun and is susceptible to root rot when the soil is kept too moist.
Fairywand (Chamaelirium luteum)
Native to Eastern North America, fairywand is also known as angel’s fishing rod because of its arching, plume-like spikes of tiny, densely-packed white or pink flowers. The herbaceous perennial plant is widely used by Native Americans as a “woman’s herb” to treat menstrual problems and improve fertility.
Plants are drought tolerant and can be started from seed, but dividing rhizomes is the preferred propagation method.
French sorrel (Rumex scutatus)
The lance-shaped leaves of the french sorrel plant grow 6 to 12-inches in length, lending themselves to use similarly to spinach in many dishes where an acidic, citrus taste is wanted. Homeopathically it is used as an anti-inflammatory to treat sudden-onset and chronic pain.
French sorrel develops a long taproot, so it does best when grown in deep containers, and the potting mix is allowed to dry out slightly between waterings.
Lettuce-leaf basil (Ocimum basilicum)
Yes, yes. Basil itself isn’t an unusual or rare herb to grow, but lettuce-leaf basil is a lesser-known variety that warrants being included in this list. Brilliantly green leaves grow up to 5 inches long and have a crinkled appearance like lettuce leaves. The milder, sweet flavor makes them excellent for wrapping chicken or fish for grilling, and their large size and subdued taste lend themselves for use in salads or on sandwiches.
Lettuce leaf basil likes full sun and to be kept consistently moist, but avoid overwatering as plants are susceptible to soil-borne fungal diseases that quickly kill young plants.
Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
If you’re looking for an herb with a plentitude of uses, definitely add lovage to your herb garden! With a bright and fresh celery flavor, leaves can be added to salads, or used in place of parsley in your favorite recipes. The lovage seeds – what we surprisingly know as celery seeds – are used to flavor marinades, soups, chilis, and dips.
Lovage loves full sun locations and well-draining soil, like many other herbs. Keep the potting mix moist without being overly soggy and avoid getting water on the leaves when watering plants.
Saffron (Crocus sativus)
Made from the purple saffron crocus plant, an autumn blooming crocus, saffron is the world’s most expensive spices. The enigmatic spice comes from the bold, threadlike red stigmas produced by the plant and imparts a characteristic yellow hue to rice dishes and paella. Plants only produce three stigmas per flower and bloom for a week, leading to an incredibly high price tag.
Saffron needs well-draining soil that is moderately rich in organic matter, and full sun or the bulbs will rot.
Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
Stevia has made itself well known in the recent health push to reduce sugar consumption by using natural, alternative products. The leaves on a stevia plant are 30 times sweeter than sugar and can be used either fresh or dried. A single plant can yield up to ½ pound of dried, calorie-free leaves.
Stevia plants grow well in containers but like their space. Don’t plant more than 1 or 2 plants per container, when in the ground they like 18-inches between plants. Once flowers appear, make sure to harvest the entire plant before more than a handful open.
Sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
Widely cultivated in the past to relieve stomach aches and coughs, sweet cicely isn’t found in many herbs gardens any longer. The sweet anise-flavored leaves can be cooked like spinach or used raw in salads or egg dishes. Stalks can be chopped and used similarly to celery, and the roots are often boiled or used to make wine.
Avoid planting sweet cicely near parsley as they attract the same insect pests. Remove flower blooms before they set seeds to prevent plants from spreading voraciously.
Toothache plant (Acmella oleracea)
Just as the name suggests, the toothache plant has been grown for centuries to ease toothaches’ pain. The leaves or attractive golden yellow flowers can be chewed for a few seconds to induce a tingling or numbing sensation in your mouth.
Keep the soil moderately moist when growing a toothache plant, avoiding waterlogged roots.
Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum)
Also known as holy basil, tulsi is a highly revered herb in Hinduism and grown across most of the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the most preeminent herbs in Ayurvedic medicine. Tulsi’s essential oils, paste, and powder have numerous confirmed beneficial effects. These include normalizing blood pressure, lipid levels, and blood glucose, improving memory and cognitive function, acting as an antidepressant well as possessing broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.[2]
Treat tulsi as an annual, making sure to keep the soil moist without letting it get waterlogged or overly dry. Like other herbs, plants prefer fertile, well-drained soil and full sun.
Vietnamese coriander (Persicaria odorata)
Vietnamese coriander has a taste similar to the American grown cilantro but can withstand much hotter summertime temperatures without bolting. It is commonly used in Southeast Asian dishes as a replacement for peppermint and has a very strong, smoky flavor.
Keep the soil moist at all times and avoid planting it in a container with other herbs. It’s creeping nature causes it to grow into a ground cover, taking over any available space and pushing out other plants.