Outline of herbs and spices

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to herbs and spices:

What type of things are herbs and spices?

Herbs – leaves, flowers, or stems used for food, flavoring, medicine, or fragrances. Herbs are typically valued for their savory or aromatic properties.

Spices – seeds, fruits, roots, bark, or other plant substances primarily used for flavoring, coloring or preserving food.

Types of herbs and spices

Types of herbs

* Angelica – ''Angelica archangelica'', commonly known as garden angelica, holy ghost, wild celery, and Norwegian angelica, is a biennial plant from the family Apiaceae, a subspecies of which is cultivated for its sweetly scented edible stems and roots.
* Basil – or Sweet Basil, is a common name for the culinary herb ''Ocimum basilicum'', of the family Lamiaceae, sometimes known as Saint Joseph's Wort in some English-speaking countries.
* Basil, holy – ''Ocimum tenuiflorum'', Holy Basil, is an aromatic plant in the family Lamiaceae which is native throughout the Old World tropics and widespread as a cultivated plant and an escaped weed. It is an erect, much branched sub-shrub, 30–60 cm tall with hairy stems and simple, opposite, green leaves that are strongly scented.
* Basil, Thai – Thai basil, or Asian basil is a type of sweet basil native to Southeast Asia that has been cultivated to provide distinctive traits.
* Bay leaf – refers to the aromatic leaf of the bay laurel.
* Boldo – ''Peumus boldus'', the only species in the genus ''Peumus'', is commonly known as Boldo.
* Bolivian Coriander – Bolivian coriander is a herbaceous annual plant whose leaves can be used for seasoning food.
* Borage – also known as starflower, is an annual herb originating in Syria, but naturalized throughout the Mediterranean region, as well as Asia Minor, Europe, North Africa, and South America.
* Chervil – sometimes called garden chervil, is a delicate annual herb related to parsley.
* Chives – ''Allium schoenoprasum'' – the smallest species of the edible onions.Allium schoenoprasum factsheet
from Kemper center for home gardening, ''retrieved on June 13, 2006'' A perennial plant, they are native to Europe, Asia and North America.
* Cicely – or sweet cicely is a plant of the family Apiaceae, native to Central Europe; it is the sole species in the genus ''Myrrhis''.
* Coriander leaf (cilantro) – also known as cilantro or dhania, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae.
* Cress – rather fast-growing, edible herb that is genetically related to watercress and mustard, sharing their peppery, tangy flavor and aroma.
* Curry leaf – tropical to sub-tropical tree in the family Rutaceae, which is native to India.
* Dill – depending on where it is grown, is either a perennial or annual herb.
* Elsholtzia ciliata – ''Elsholtzia ciliata'', commonly known as Vietnamese balm, is a weed native to Asia, sometimes grown as an ornamental plant.
* Epazote – also known as wormseed, Jesuit's tea, Mexican tea, ''Paico'' or ''Herba Sancti Mariæ'', it is a herb native to Central America, South America, and southern Mexico.
* Eryngium foetidum (long coriander) – ''Eryngium foetidum'' is a tropical perennial and annual herb in the family Apiaceae.
* Hemp – term reserved mainly for low tetrahydrocannabinol strains of the plant ''Cannabis sativa''.
* Hoja santa – an aromatic herb with a heart-shaped, velvety leaf which grows in tropic Mesoamerica.
* Houttuynia cordata – ''Houttuynia'' is a genus of two species in the Saururaceae native to Southeast Asia.
* Hyssop – ''Hyssopus officinalis'' is a shrub in the Lamiaceae or mint family native to Southern Europe, the Middle East, and the region surrounding the Caspian Sea, and is sometimes used in the spice blend za'atar. (''For the biblical plant usually translated as hyssop, see Ezov''.)
* Jimbu – ''Allium hypsistum'' is one of two species of ''Allium'' which comprise the herb jimbu, used in cooking in parts of Nepal.
* Lavender – ''Lavandula angustifolia'' is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the western Mediterranean region, primarily in the Pyrenees and other mountains in northern Spain.
* Lemon balm – not to be confused with bee balm, is a perennial herb in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.
* Lemon grass – ''Cymbopogon'' is a genus of about 55 species of grasses, native to warm temperate and tropical regions of the Old World and Oceania.
* Lemon myrtle – ''Backhousia citriodora'' is a flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae, genus ''Backhousia''. It is endemic to subtropical rainforests of central and south-eastern Queensland, Australia, with a natural distribution from Mackay to Brisbane.
* Lemon verbena – ''Aloysia citrodora'' is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that is native to Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru.
* Limnophila aromatica (rice paddy herb) – ''Limnophila aromatica'' is a tropical flowering plant in the plantain family, Plantaginaceae.
* Lovage – tall perennial plant, the sole species in the genus ''Levisticum'', in the family Apiaceae, subfamily Apioideae, tribe Apieae.
* Marjoram – somewhat cold-sensitive perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavors.
* Mint – ''Mentha'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The species are not clearly distinct and estimates of the number of species varies from 13 to 18. Hybridization between some of the species occurs naturally.
* Mugwort – ''Artemisia vulgaris'' is one of several species in the genus ''Artemisia'' which have common names that include the word mugwort.
* Mitsuba – ''Cryptotaenia'' is a genus of two species of herbaceous perennial plants, native to North America and eastern Asia, growing wild in moist, shady places.
* Oregano – ''Origanum vulgare'' is a common species of ''Origanum'', a genus of the mint family .
* Parsley – species of ''Petroselinum'' in the family Apiaceae, native to the central Mediterranean region, naturalized elsewhere in Europe, and widely cultivated as a herb, a spice and a vegetable.Interactive Flora of NW Europe
''Petroselinum crispum''
/ref>
* Perilla – ''Perilla frutescens'' of the mint family, Lamiaceae.
* Rosemary – woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region.
* Rue – also known as Herb-of-Grace, is a species of rue grown as a herb.
* Sage – ''Salvia officinalis'' is a perennial, evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers.
* Savory – ''Satureja'' is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme.
* sanshō (leaf) – ''Zanthoxylum piperitum'', the Japanese pepper, Japanese pricklyash, is a deciduous aromatic spiny shrub or small tree of the family Rutaceae 佐竹（1989年）、p.280''Heibonsha sekai daihyakkajiten'' (Heibonsha's world encyclopedia), 1965 ed., "sansho"
* Shiso – shisoquery in the New York Times archives shows that "shiso" since 1981 had had 251 hits, and during 1990s – current, 243, with 172 definitely in "+Japanese" context. Since 1981, perilla has 52 hits winnowed to only 12 in "+Japanese" context. Since 1981, occurrence of "beefsteak plant" scored 3 hits. is the now common name, ''Oriental Vegetables'' for the Japanese culinary herb, seed, or entire annual plant of ''Perilla frutescens''.
* Sorrel – or garden sorrel, often simply called sorrel, is a perennial herb that is cultivated as a garden herb or leaf vegetable.
* Tarragon – perennial herb in the family Asteraceae related to wormwood.
* Thyme – culinary and medicinal herb of the genus ''Thymus''.
* Vietnamese coriander (rau răm) – ''Persicaria odorata'', the Vietnamese coriander, is a herb whose leaves are used in Southeast Asian cooking.
* Woodruff – ''Galium odoratum'' is a perennial plant in the family Rubiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.

Types of spices

* Aonori (ground seaweed) – also known as green laver, is a type of edible green seaweed, including species from the genera ''Monostroma'' and ''Enteromorpha'' of ''Ulvaceae''.
* Ajwain (bishop's weed) – ''Trachyspermum ammi'', commonly known as ajowan,
* Aleppo pepper – variety of ''Capsicum annuum'' used as a spice, particularly in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.
* Alligator pepper – North African spice which corresponds to the seeds and seed pods of ''Aframomum danielli'', ''Aframomum citratum'' or ''Aframomum exscapum''.
* Allspice – also called Jamaica pepper, pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta,
* Amchoor - also called aamchur or amchur, also referred to as mango powder, is a fruity spice powder made from dried unripe green mangoes and is used as a citrusy seasoning.
* Anise – also called aniseed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia.
* Aromatic ginger – ''Kaempferia galanga'', commonly known as kencur, aromatic ginger, sand ginger, cutcherry or resurrection lily, is a monocotyledonous plant in the ginger family.
* Asafoetida – alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of ''Ferula'', which is a perennial herb .
* Camphor – ''Cinnamomum camphora'' is a large evergreen tree that grows up to 20–30 metres tall.
* Caraway – also known as meridian fennel,English Malayalam Spice Names
/ref>Global Crops Database
Meridian Fennel
Benefits of Carawy Seeds
Meridian Fennel, a biennial herb with a fleshy root ...
/ref> or Persian cumin,USDA Plant
Classification Report: Apiaceae
/ref> is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae,
* Cardamom – refers to several plants of the similar genera ''Elettaria'' and ''Amomum'' in the ginger family Zingiberaceae.
* Cardamom, black – also known as hill cardamom,
* Cassia – ''Cinnamomum aromaticum'', called cassia or Chinese cinnamon, is an evergreen tree native to southern China, Bangladesh, Uganda, India, and Vietnam.
* Cayenne pepper – also known as the Guinea spice, cow-horn pepper, aleva, bird pepper, or, especially in its powdered form, red pepper—is a red, hot chili pepper used to flavour dishes.
* Celery seed – ''Apium graveolens'' is a plant species in the family Apiaceae commonly known as celery or celeriac, depending on whether the petioles or roots are eaten: celery refers to the former and celeriac to the latter.
* Charoli – ''Charoli'' are seeds of ''Buchanania lanzan'' used as a cooking spice primarily in India.
* Chenpi – Chenpi or chen pi is sun-dried tangerine peel used as a traditional seasoning in Chinese cooking and traditional medicine.
* Chili pepper – fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', members of the nightshade family, ''Solanaceae''.
* Cinnamon – spice obtained from the inner bark of several trees from the genus ''Cinnamomum'' that is used in both sweet and savoury foods.
* Clove – aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae.
* Coriander seed – also known as cilantro or dhania, is an annual herb in the family Apiaceae.
* Cubeb – or tailed pepper, is a plant in genus ''Piper'', cultivated for its fruit and essential oil.
* Cumin