Herbs and Herbalism

Plant ID

Flowers - Black & Blue

Costus - Large perennial up to 2m/6ft, thick tapering root, black flowers Asia

Plantain Ribwort- Perennial grass like plant 60-90cm/2-3ft Leaves: narrow Flowers black/brown spikes with yellow anthers April - October

Alfalfa -A perennial plant Grows 60-90cm/2-3ft has deep roots and erect stems. The leaves are trifoliate, narrow and egg shaped. The flowers are like clover flowers blue/purple in colour and bloom in-between June and October Mediterranean, Asia

Alkanet - Perennial Flower: blue mid-late summer roots: red

Alkanet Green -50-100cm/20-40in tall, Bristly erect branched stems. Leaves untoothed, narrow base oval to spear shape. Flowers bright blue spiralled and clustered April-August

Balloon Flower - Perennial. Up to 60cm/2ft Flowers: blue balloon shaped June- September

Bellflower clustered - Perennial, upright up to 30cm-60cm/1-2ft long stalks heart shaped leaves Flowers erect sessile violet/blue clusters June –October

Borage- Hardy annual plant. 30-60cm/1-2 ft Sturdy, hollow, prickly stem. Leaves-dark green, pointed, oval, hairy. Flowers: May-September. Five petalled star, pink then turn blue

Bugle - Creeping biennial or perennial 10-30cm/4-12in tall with a square-ish stem. Flowers: little, blue, pink or white April-July Leaves oval and shiny Europe

Butterbur - Perennial. Flowers: blue or red February - March

Chicory -Perennial herb. 90-150cm/3-5 ft Thick yellow taproot, milky when broken. Lower leaves-long arrow shaped, toothed and hairy underneath. Upper leaves smaller, stalkless. Clear blue, white or pink daisy like lowers in clusters July-September which close in the evening and open in the morning Europe

Cornflower - Annual herb.30-90cm/1-3 ft Leaves-lances shaped, grey-green. Single blue flower on long stem May-September. Seed silvery and flattish Britain

Cowslip - Perennial 30cm/1ft Flowers: yellow, red, orange, blue, violet April –May Fruit: oval enclosed within sepals. Sepals: pale green

Cranesbill meadow - Perennial clump forming up 90cm/3ft Flowers white, violet or blue saucer shape June-August Fruit has long bill hence the name

Delphinium - Biennial up to 150cm/5ft Flowers: blue

Flag purple - Perennial Flowers: blue or violet June-August

Flax - Annual up to 90-120cm/3-4ft. Leaves: lance shaped Flowers: pale blue saucer shape 1 ½ cm across June – July Europe, Britain

Forget me not - 30cm/1ft. Pale blue or white flowers April-June Oblong leaves.

Ground Ivy - Perennial 10-30cm/4-12in Flowers: blue, purple, pink or white April – September

Heliotrope - Perennial 30-60cm/1-2ft Flowers: blue which follow the sun during the day Vanilla scent

Hyssop - Semi-Evergreen bushy perennial. Up to 60cm/4ft, square stem, linear leaves. Red, blue and white flowers in whorls June – October

Jacob’s ladder - Perennial herb up to 90cm/3ft erect stems Flowers: lavender blue bell shaped May-June

Kidney wort - Perennial Flower: Blue May

Lavender spike - Evergreen sub-shrub up to 1m/3ft tall with lance shaped leaves. Flowers dull grey/blue colour

Lavender true - Evergreen/perennial woody shrub. Maximum 45cm-1m/18in-3ft. Pale green narrow linear leaves. Blue/violet flowers June – August

Lungwort - Perennial up to 30cm/1ft Flowers: Pink then turns blue tubular April-May

Milkwort - Perennial Flowers: blue May-September

Mint water - Perennial Rough, hairy mint up to 60cm/2ft tall. Leaves tinged with purple, opposing pairs. Flowers blue/lilac bushy head July – September

Nigella- Annual Flowers: blue followed by large seedpods

Orris - Perennial up to 1.5m/5ft with sword shaped leaves, pale blue flowers

Periwinkle - Evergreen, perennial spreading plant 5-10cm/2-4in. Flowers blue March – July

Pimpernel - Perennial up to 15cm/½ ft with a 40cm/16in-spread Flowers: blue

Rosemary - Evergreen perennial shrub Maximum growing height 1-2m/3-6ft. Slow-growing. Short, dark green leaves similar to pine needles, shrubby, pale blue flowers May – June

Rue goats - Perennial bushy up to 90cm/3ft. Flowers: purple, blue or white midsummer – mid autumn followed by long pods

Sage painted - Annual 3-45cm/1-1½ ft with a 20-30cm spread Flower blue/violet midsummer to autumn

Scabious blue - Perennial up to 90cm/3ft. Stems: wiry Leaves soft white/green divided flowers: tiny round heads amethyst pale blue June – October Root: short

Sea Holly - Thistle like spiny blue/green perennial 20-90cm/8-36in tall. Leaves three lobed spiny with pale veins and margins. Flowers blue in rounded heads with spiny bracts July – August Fruit egg shaped

Skullcap - Perennial. Leaves soft, heart shaped at base ¼ - 2 ¼ in long, serrated edges Flowers blue/purple/lavender tube shaped and hooded May-August

Speedwell Germander -20-40cm/8-16in tall Leaves oval, almost triangular lower ones have short stalks, upper un-stalked Flowers: bright blue 9-12mm/ 3/8 in across each with two stamens. March-July

Tufted vetch -80-200cm/32-80in tall, climber Slender branched stems. Leaves alternate like tiny ladders, 6-15 pair’s tiny leaflets. Flowers Blue-purple long dense heads June – August

Violet -Low creeping perennial up to 15cm/½ft. 12cm/5in spread dark green heart shaped leaves, violet-blue flowers March – May Sweet smell

Aconite -A hardy perennial, which grows to 60-90cm/2-3ft tall. Stems: strong, un-branched Dark green and glossy leaves above, whitish underneath. Leaves all the way up the stem, stalked and divided. Purple or blue flowers 5 petals in June-August tuberous root Fruit a follicle with 3-5 seeds

Columbine - Perennial herb. Height 60-90cm/2-3 ft Tall, erect Flowers blue-purplish, funnel shaped. 5 petals it’s petals resemble an eagle’s talon May-June Seed pods

Flax -Annual, hairless up to 90-120cm/3-4ft. Erect stem Leaves: lance shaped to 4cm Flowers: solitary, 5 petals, pale blue saucer shape 1 ½ cm across 3-5 white veins June – July Seeds flat, shiny and brown 5-6mm

Bluebell - Small white bulb that exudes thick mucus when crushed. Height around 30cm/1ft. Blue bell shaped flowered –six petals and six yellow antlers

Boronia - Bushy evergreen shrub up to 3m/10ft high. Flowers brown on the outside, yellow in the middle Australia

Cuckoo pint -15-35cm/6-14in tall. Hairless, fleshy with long stalked untoothed arrow shaped leaves often covered in dark blotches. Flower: chocolate brown spike enclosed in large pointed hood. Spathe yellow/green April-May

Figwort - Perennial Flowers: green/brown June-July

Henbane - Annual or biennial bushy, tall. Sticky, smelly foliage. Up to 80cm Leaves: alternate, ovate or oblong, toothed Lower leaves: stalked Flowers yellow/brown purple veined June - October

Mugwort - Perennial herb up to 1.5m/5ft, purplish stems, dark green divided leaves, which are white underneath. Small red/brown flowers July –September

Plantain Ribwort- Perennial grass like plant 60-90cm/2-3ft Leaves: narrow Flowers black/brown spikes with yellow anthers April – October

Snakeroot - Up to 35cm/14in, hairy stem, two kidney shaped leaves, creeping stockroot, brown/purple bell shaped flower that is white inside America

Asafoetida -6 - 10 ft Fleshy root with bristly fibres. Long, slim leaves. Green-yellow flowers. Flat reddish-brown fruit Afghanistan

Asparagus - Perennial, Flowers: white/green May-June

Bilberry - Deciduous shrub. Hairless twigs, height 20-50cm/8-12in. Leaves oval, slight toothed. Flowers solitary, drooping, green/pink April-June. Fruit – small, round, black July – September

Box - Evergreen shrub. Up to 2-5m/6-15ft Grey brown bark Leaves: glossy. Flowers pale green petal-less Britain

Buckthorn - Perennial Flowers: Greenish May-June Fruit Black berries September

Calamus - Reed like aquatic plant 1m/3ft tall, sword shaped leaves, green/yellow flowers India

Dock - Perennial. 90cm/3ft Large oval pointed leaves. White fleshly Roots Flowers greenish June-October

Figwort - Perennial Flowers: green/brown June-July

Flag sweet - Perennial Flowers: green/yellow May-June

Gooseberry - Low many branched shrub 1.2m/4ft tall. Leaves 3 or 4 lobed blunt toothed. Flowers drooping red tinged, green/yellow. April Fruit green/yellow or purple, egg shaped and usually hairy from July

Goosegrass -Straggling bristly annual 50-180cm/20-70in high with square stems. Leaves narrow, pointed inn whorls of 6-8 covered with tiny turned down prickles. Flowers inconspicuous green/white May – June. Its small fruit sticks to clothing

Hops - Perennial deciduous climbing plant. Up to 8m/23ft. Stems: clinging, hairy Bears male and females flowers on different plants June-September. Dark green leaves and green/yellow cone like flowers. Fruit early September. Twines in a clockwise direction

Ivy - Perennial evergreen climber up to 30m/100ft Leaves dark green with white veins Flowers: green Fruit: black berries

Ivy leafed toadflax - Small trailing plant up to 60cm/24in in length. Long slender stems. Leaves small ivy shaped alternate. Flowers tiny snapdragon lilac-violet with a yellow patch on lower lip May – September

Lady’s mantle - Perennial herb. Up to 50cm/20in densely hairy stems Leaves-blue/green kidney shaped, finely toothed. Clusters of flowers greenish-yellow petal-less yellow stamens May –September

Nettle stinging - Course upright perennial covered with fine stinging hair Up to 120cm/4ft.Leaves toothed, heart shaped Flowers thin catkins of undistinguished green flowers June – September

Onion- Perennial or biennial herb up to 1.2m/4ft, hollow leaves, globelike fleshy bulb Flowers: white/green June -August

Parsley - Biennial. Maximum 38cm-60cm/15in. Bright green foliage. Re-sow every 2 years. Green/yellow flowers July - September, small brown seeds

Parsley piert - Annual Flowers: green May-October

Pepper jalapeno - Annual or short-lived perennial up to 1.5m/5ft Flowers white –green bell shaped. Fruits up to 15cm/6in long

Sage wood - Perennial Upright, woody stems with spikes of green/yellow flowers, prominent stamens. Up to 30cm/1ft Leaves toothed opposite July –September

Tarragon - Perennial herb. Up to 60cm/2ft. Long, narrow, undivided leaves. Small yellow/green flowers July-October. Long, fibrous roots

Traveller’s joy - Deciduous twists around other plants. Flowers white/green July – September

Wormseed - Perennial wayside herb up to 1m/3ft, stout erect stem, green/yellow flowers South America

Bryony white - Perennial. Root: like a turnip yellow/grey on the outside, white on the inside Flowers: green/white star shaped with five petals. Fruit: red berries

Fat hen -Spreading branched annual stiff upright stems 20-150cm/8-60in tall. Leaves thick diamond shaped grey/green. Flowers tiny pale green/yellow and bunched in spikes June – October. Fruit tiny each containing one black seed

Sorrel common - Erect perennial 10-120cm/4-47in tall. Leaves arrow shaped and clasping the stem near the top of the plant Flowers spikes of small, red and green flowers on a smooth stem May - August

Lovage - Herbaceous perennial. Maximum growing Height 2.1m/7ft Thick, fleshly grey root. Thick, hollow stems. Segmented leaves. Flowers June/-August umbels of green/yellow flowers Seeds: oblong, brown

Aloe - Evergreen perennial 30cm/1ft. The root in very fibrous, strong and light brown in colour. The leaves are long, tapering and fleshy. In each leaf is a clear gelatinous sap. Yellow or orange flowers Africa, Caribbean, America

Bog myrtle - Deciduous shrub 0.5-2m/1-6ft. Leaves grey/green, narrow toothed. Shiny red twigs. Flowers red and orange (male and female) catkins on separate plants April – May before leaves

Calendula - Hardy annual herb. 30cm-50cm/12- 20 inches Spindly root, angular, hairy stems. Leaves ovals or lanced shaped, mid green Orange or Yellow many petalled flowers. Flowers June -October. Seeds curved and rough. Europe, Asia

Cowslip - Perennial 30cm/1ft Flowers: yellow, red, orange, blue, violet April –May Fruit: oval enclosed within sepals. Sepals: pale green

Fox and cubs - Perennial up to 30cm/1ft Flowers: yellow, orange or red

Kidney vetch - Low growing typical vetch leaves in opposites along the stem with a single leaf at the end. Flowers pale yellow-orange-red May-August

Pleurisy root - Perennial fleshy rooted 30-45cm/1-1½ ft Flowers yellow – deep orange September

Rose rock - Perennial, creeping woody semi evergreen sub-shrub15-20cm/ 6-8in tall 5-10cm/2-4in wide Flowers red/orange

Tagetes - Annual herb up to 30cm/1ft tall with bright orange daisy like flowers South America

Back to More Information on Herbs

Back to Herbs and Herbalism Index