Herbs

Santa Clara County provides a year-round climate that is well-suited to growing a variety of culinary and aromatic herbs. Herbs are a great choice for beginner gardeners as they tend to be easy to grow and care for. They are a wonderful addition as borders to your vegetable garden or can be easily grown in…

Saffron is a spice that comes from the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus. This fall flowering crocus is distinct from the ornamental spring flowering crocuses. It also must not be confused with the similar but toxic fall flowering Colchicums. The only part used for the spice are the tiny stigmas of the flowers…

Bay laurel, Laurus nobilis, is an evergreen grown as a large shrub or tree. Small bay trees do well in containers because of their slow growth, but can reach heights of 20 to 40 feet in landscapes. The aromatic leaves add flavor to sauces, soups, stews, meats, fish, and pickles. The flavor is stronger fresh,…

Sage is a Salvia, the largest genus in the mint family. There are hundreds of varieties of salvias, which can have quite different cultivation needs. This page focuses on culinary sage, Salvia officinalis.

German chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla, is the most commonly grown variety for chamomile blossoms. The plant produces fragrant flowers all summer long. The small, white daisy-like flowers have a pleasant pineapple flavor. They also attract beneficial insects and are self-seeding. The dried flowers are…

Tarragon is one of the classic fines herbes used in French cooking (parsley, chives, and chervil are the others). When purchasing a plant, it is important to be sure it is “French tarragon” and not “Russian tarragon”, which does not have the characteristic anise-like flavor. French tarragon rarely flowers or…

The word “cilantro” generally refers to the culinary leaves, while “coriander” is the dried spice derived from the seeds. Cilantro plants have a relatively short growing season, and are quick to bolt (go to seed) in hot weather. Every part of the plant is edible, and are used in Asian, Mediterranean, and…

There are over three hundred varieties of thyme, but English thyme is the one most commonly grown for culinary use. French thyme has a similar, slightly milder taste. There are also thyme varieties with differently scented or colored leaves, such as lemon, golden lemon, and orange, as well as numerous…

Curry Leaf, Bergera koenigii, (formerly Murraya koenigii; older references may still use Murraya) is a small tree native to India. It is not to be confused with curry powder, nor does it taste like curry powder.

Turmeric, Curcuma longa, is a member of the ginger family and originates from southwestern India. Like ginger, the portion of the plant used is a rhizome, technically not a root but an underground stem. Turmeric has been utilized for many centuries as a spice, a yellow-orange food coloring, and an…