Angelica archangelica
Tall, statuesque biennial or short-lived perennial with large celery-like leaves and rounded umbels of small greenish-white flowers.
Pimpinella anisum
Annual herb related to fennel and caraway, grown for its licorice-scented seeds.
Withania somnifera
Small woody shrub with yellow flowers and red berries; root is the medicinal part.
Astragalus membranaceus
Perennial legume with a fibrous root, foundational in Traditional Chinese herbal practice.
Actaea racemosa
Tall woodland perennial with dramatic white bottlebrush-like flower spikes.
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Perennial wetland plant with paired leaves that appear to be pierced by the stem, and flat clusters of small white…
Arctium lappa
Large biennial with broad leaves and hooked burrs; root is the medicinal/culinary part.
Calendula officinalis
Cheerful annual with bright orange-yellow daisy-like flowers.
Carum carvi
Biennial herb with feathery leaves; seeds are the familiar rye-bread spice.
Elettaria cardamomum
Tropical perennial in the ginger family; seed pods are the aromatic spice.
Nepeta cataria
Aromatic mint-family perennial, well known for its effect on cats but used differently in human herbalism.
Inonotus obliquus
A dark, charcoal-like fungal growth (technically a sclerotium, not a typical mushroom cap) found on birch trees in cold climates.
Matricaria chamomilla
Low annual with small daisy-like flowers and an apple-sweet scent.
Stellaria media
Low sprawling annual with small white star-shaped flowers, common in gardens.
Cinnamomum verum
Tropical evergreen tree; the inner bark is dried into familiar cinnamon quills.
Galium aparine
Sprawling annual with tiny hooked hairs that let it cling to clothing and fur, small white flowers, and whorled leaves.
Syzygium aromaticum
Tropical evergreen tree; cloves are the dried, unopened flower buds.
Symphytum officinale
Large-leaved perennial with bristly hairs and clusters of purple-pink bell-shaped flowers.
Taraxacum officinale
Familiar perennial weed with a deep taproot and yellow composite flowers.
Harpagophytum procumbens
Sprawling perennial with distinctive hooked, claw-like seed pods, native to the arid regions of southern Africa.
Echinacea purpurea
Native prairie perennial with large purple-pink daisy-like flowers.
Sambucus nigra
Deciduous shrub with clusters of white flowers followed by dark purple berries.
Inula helenium
Tall, stately perennial with large leaves and big yellow daisy-like flowers, grown for its thick aromatic root.
Eleutherococcus senticosus
Spiny deciduous shrub; root is the medicinal part, distinct from true Panax ginseng.
Foeniculum vulgare
Tall aromatic perennial with feathery leaves and yellow flower umbels; seeds are the medicinal part.
Tanacetum parthenium
Bushy perennial with small daisy-like flowers and yellow-green, feathery, strongly-scented leaves.
Allium sativum
Bulbous perennial grown as an annual for its pungent cloves.
Zingiber officinale
Tropical perennial grown for its aromatic underground rhizome.
Ginkgo biloba
Ancient deciduous tree with distinctive fan-shaped leaves.
Hydrastis canadensis
Low woodland perennial with a single large lobed leaf and small greenish flower, prized for its bright yellow root.
Crataegus laevigata
Small thorny tree or shrub with white spring flowers and red berries in fall.
Hibiscus sabdariffa
Tropical/subtropical shrub grown for its tart red calyces.
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Aromatic annual/perennial basil relative, sacred in Ayurvedic tradition.
Marrubium vulgare
Woolly-leaved perennial with a distinctive musky scent and small white flowers in tight whorls.
Lavandula angustifolia
Woody perennial shrub with narrow gray-green leaves and purple flower spikes.
Melissa officinalis
Bushy mint-family perennial with lemon-scented leaves.
Aloysia citrodora
Deciduous shrub with narrow, intensely lemon-scented leaves.
Glycyrrhiza glabra
Perennial legume with a long sweet root, the source of natural licorice flavor.
Hericium erinaceus
Distinctive white, shaggy mushroom with long cascading spines rather than gills, resembling a waterfall or a lion's mane.
Althaea officinalis
Tall perennial with soft velvety leaves and pale pink flowers; root is mucilage-rich.