Herbs I - Z

Click here to see Herbs A to C or Herbs E to H

This information is not to be considered as medical advice. Always do your own research before ingesting any herb or plant material.

Horsemint (monarda family, bergamot)

Has purple flowers on strong upright spikes in late summer, a tough wildflower that prefers drained soil on the dry side, plant seed late summer thru fall, leaves have a strong lemony fragrance when bruised, used for insect control, rub leaves on pant legs to repel chiggers, Horsemint is mentioned in the Bible.

Indian Blanket

Most people do not realize this is a perennial, blooms spring to fall

Indian Hawthorn

Spring flowering scented shrub that blooms in sun but will take part shade, has evergreen foliage and blue berries in the fall, likes well drained but fertile soil, can grow up to 5’-6’.

Juniper

Tough evergreen shrub that has about 50-60 species, there are several prostrate types that make wonderful groundcover in dry areas with poor soil, you will enjoy looking at the many types available in all shapes and sizes

Lady Banksia

Spring blooming yellow or white climbing rose, sun loving but will take part shade, very popular, disease and insect resistant

Lamb’s Ear

Likes well drained soil in full sun, good contrast plant, blooms in late summer with pink to purple flowers, also known as Betony or Woundwort

Lantana

Many colors make sure you try the purple trailing one; I like it in front of the taller variety, feed with a balanced fertilizer every 3 weeks

LICORICE

Expels mucous from the respiratory tract aids in healing hoarseness, hypoglycemia, coughs & constipation; promotes healthy adrenal glands; acts as a sexual stimulant; helps increase endurance & vitality; helps in reducing skin blemishes (age spots).

Liriope

Either sun or shade, several varieties available (variegated stripe, big blue and gigantic), grass like foliage, monkey grass family, blue spikes of flowers, beautiful in clumps, drought tolerant, only care is to cut back old foliage in winter or early spring

MA HAUNG

A stimulant of the adrenal glands; helps increase energy level; aids in healing asthma, bronchitis, lung, coughs & congestive disorders.

Mermaid Rose

Vigorous climber, gets very large if not pruned, disease and insect resistant, drought tolerant, large whitish-yellow single petal blooms, very fragrant

Mexican Blue Sage (Central Texas sage, I think)

Gray-green dusty foliage that blooms throughout summer, drought tolerant, I think is growing at Brookshires in Daingerfield.

Mexican Bush Sage (salvia leucantha)

Grows to at least 40” on gray-green foliage, blooms in late summer with velvety white and purple, great to cut and dry, keeps color well

Mock Orange

Upright shrub that blooms on long branches in spring, blooms resemble a dogwood but have more petals, very scented and drought tolerant once established

MULLEIN

A bone, flesh and cartilage builder; aids in healing respiratory ailments, asthma, bronchitis, diarrhea, sinus congestion; soothing to any inflammation and relieves pain; acts to relieve spasms & clears the lungs.

Nandina

old time “pass along” shrub, easy to propagate, beautiful fall foliage and red berries. I often use the foliage to decorate tables with in the winter.

Pavonia

I am not familiar with this plant but it is supposed to be spectacular, grown for its flowers, pink spring to fall, either sun or shade, likes well drained soil and makes a large 3-4’shrub, would be a great one to look for

Perennial Verbena

Wonderful trailing splash of color plant, must have lots of sun to bloom well, spreads to cover a large area, best if mulched in winter

Photinia

Comes in many varieties but we know the “Red tip” to be most common, evergreen and showy, dense and bushy, grows up to 15’ high, makes a good hedge

Pittosporum

Dense shrub with leathery leaves similar to photinia but in whorls or sunburst-like clusters, grows to 12’ in most cases, likes well drained soil in sun to part shade, most have spring bloom, there is also a variegated pittosporum.

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea)

Likes the sun but mine bloom is some shade, large clumps are beautiful, I cut mine back after they bloom for another set of flowers, seed and divide in the fall, small transplants can be made year around, does not like to be over watered

Rosa x fortuniana

Fragrant white flowers, vigorous climber, disease and insect resistant

ROSE HIPS (rosa canina)

Britain during World War II to prevent scurvy during a shortage of citrus fruit. Since then, rose hips have been used as a source of Vitamin C and in fact, have up to 60 times the Vitamin C of citrus fruit as well as containing the bioflavonoids that aid in the absorption of Vitamin C. Used to fight infection & curb stress. It is the highest herb in Vitamin C content and contains the entire C-Complex.

Salvia Greggii (cherry sage, autumn sage)

Sun to part shade, hummingbirds love it, blooms on old dead-looking wood, only prune when out of control or you will cut off the blooms to come, drought tolerant, disease and bug resistant, red, pink, salmon or white

Sambac Jasmine

Tropical, does best in a pot but is worth the trouble, fragrant bloom all summer, only edible jasmine bloom, (do not eat other jasmines) wonderful in tea, makes a large up-right to trailing plant that you can train up on a trellis or let trail over the pot.

SARSAPARILLA (smilax officinalis)

The part of this plant used is its root. Sarsaparilla is the herbal ingredient in root beer. Chinese, Native Americans and Europeans have used the sarsaparilla root boiled in water to treat a variety of urinary tract disorders, as a diuretic and has been used to treat coughs, arthritis and as an anti-inflammatory for rheumatism.

Silverlace Vine

Fluffy masses of white flowers, vigorous growth, either sun or shade

SPIRULINA

Is an algae containing 65 - 70% protein; it contains 26 times the Calcium of milk; also contains phosphorous & niacin and is far more nutritious than any known food; used for rejuvenation & weight reduction; an excellent blood and colon cleanser; very high in Vitamin B12 content.

Texas Columbine

Likes sun to part shade, blooms yellow in spring, remind me to collect some seed from mine, will grow as a wild flower but I prefer to raise it in a bed

Texas Mountain Laurel

I have yet to put in this plant, it has been recommended to me several times, a large tree-like evergreen shrub that blooms purple clusters in the spring, looks similar to a lilac, grows in either sun or part shade, likes a dry climate and flowers well after long hot summers, works well for a shrub border or specimen plant

Texas Star Hibiscus

Easy to grow from seed or root division, showy red bloom all summer, prefers full sun for best bloom, hibiscus flowers are edible (use only the petals not the reproductive parts) beautiful in salads or to color a tea

Turk’s Cap

Grows and blooms in shade to sun, easy to start from seed or softwood cuttings in late summer, also can be divided from roots, blooms a beautiful red cap on tall branches in summer, attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects

Vinca Major

Shade to partial shade, easily covers large areas with evergreen foliage in our area, blue flowers in late spring to early summer

Virginia Creeper

Either sun or shade, the five-leaf plant the people mistake for poison ivy, makes a great ground cover, inexpensive because it grows all over East Texas, beautiful red foliage in fall

Vitex (Chaste tree)

Blooms in summer and resembles butterfly bush with purple or white flowers grows to a small branchy tree, produces a berry that has been used as a pepper substitute, in medicinal use the berries are used to make a tea treating both male and female hormone imbalances.

Winter Honeysuckle

Does well in sun or part shade, begins to bloom in mid winter with small white and yellow blooms, a large shrub with easy to prune canopy, a wonderful addition to the winter garden

Yarrow

Feathery foliage with a pleasant fragrance, produces white, yellow or pink clusters of flowers with a flat top, harvest flowers for drying at peak bloom or they will mold in the garden, ground or chopped foliage can be used as a healing poultice or to stop bleeding, does well in well drained soil in sun to part shade

YELLOW DOCK

A nutritive tonic, high in Iron and useful in treating anemia; also nourishes the spleen and liver, thus, being effective for the treatment of Jaundice, Lymphatic problems & skin eruptions; strengthens, cleanses & tones the entire body; excellent for boils, ulcers, wounds, and cleansing the blood.