Herbs and Herbalism

General Plant ID

Aquatic

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

Cardamom - Perennial reed like herb up to 4m/13ft tall, long blade shaped leaves, yellowish flowers with purple tips, red/brown seeds Asia

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

Apple - Deciduous Grows up to 9m/30ft with a girth of 3m/10ft.

Oval leaves with wedge shaped base. Bright green on top, pale underneath. Purplish buds with white hair White flowers (wild), pink tinged flowers & thorn-less (domestic) open April – May Britain

Balm - Herbaceous perennial. Height-90cm/3ft. Stem-hairy and square. Leaves-hairy and lemon scented. Flower-small yellow buds that turn into white or pink flowers June-August

Alexanders -Bushy solid stemmed, hairless biennial. 60cm-120cm/2-4ft Leaves dark green glossy, toothed, groups of three. Flowers umbels yellow/green April-June Fruit: black and sharply rigged Mediterranean

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

Crowberry - Small creeping shrub 30cm/12in high. Leaves linear, edges rolled under. Flowers small, pink April – June. Fruit shiny black when ripe

Bergamot -Tree with height up to 4.5m/15ft, smooth oval leaves, small round yellow/green fruit Asia

Boldo Leaf - Evergreen shrub or small tree up to 6m/20ft high. Yellow/green fruit Chile

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  

Vanilla - Perennial herbaceous creeping vine up to 25m/82ft green stems, large white flowers, green fruit Central America  

Cloudberry - Low creeping shrub up to 20cm/8in. Leaves rounded, lobed. Flowers five white petals solitary June-August. Fruit round, red at first orange when ripe

Cinquefoil marsh - Perennial, creeping Leaves: grey/green pinnate with 3-5 leaflets Flowers: Dark purple star like May-July Fruits: purple

Cayenne - Annual or biennial. Flowers: White Fruit: Red

Cloudberry - Low creeping shrub up to 20cm/8in. Leaves rounded, lobed. Flowers five white petals solitary June-August. Fruit round, red at first orange when ripe

Cranberry - Creeping evergreen dwarf shrub. 50cm/20in high. Leaves dark green pointed, whitish beneath. Flowers pink with down turned petals June – August. Fruit round, mottled red

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

Houndstongue - Biennial 40-70cm/16-28in tall. Mousy smell. Long silky hairs Leaves: long tongue shaped Flowers blood red – purple June – August Fruits: flattened, spiny which sticks to clothes and animal fur

Bergamot -Tree with height up to 4.5m/15ft, smooth oval leaves, small round yellow/green fruit Asia

Boldo Leaf - Evergreen shrub or small tree up to 6m/20ft high. Yellow/green fruit Chile 

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  

Mallow tree - Stout biennial with woody stems at base up to 300cm/10ft tall. Leaves: soft hairy slightly lobed. Flowers: purple with darker purple veins. July-September Fruit: yellowish wrinkled

Bay Laurel - Evergreen tree. Maximum 7m/23ft. Stem-solid, round, purple - brown at 1st then becoming more woody. Leaves-pointed, oval, aromatic. Flowers-small yellow flowers early spring followed by purplish/black berries.

Belladonna - Perennial plant. Thick, whitish root, purplish stem. Height 60-150cm/2-5ft. Leaves-dark green, long pointed oval. Drooping, bell shaped purple flowers, bloom June-August. Black berries-August-November. Foul smell if plant is crushed.

Blackberry -1m width 3-4m Leaves prickly, toothed, red/purple in autumn. Flowers five petals pink or white May. Fruit comprises of drupelets turning green to red to black August-October

Blackcurrant - Erect shrub up to 1.5m/5ft. Aromatic leaves when crushed. Flowers drooping stalked spikes April- May. Opaque black berries June – July

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

Cade - Large evergreen shrub up to 4m/13ft high, dark needles, brown/black berries Europe

Chaste Tree- Shrub 3-5m tall Leaves: opposite, long stalked, palmate, 5-7 narrow pointed leaflets. Leaflets dark green above, white hairs beneath. June-September Flowers small, bell shaped, 5 lobed Fruit: black berry

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

Jasmine - Perennial evergreen shrub up to 10m/33ft, bright green leaves, star shaped white/pink flowers followed by black berries

Savine - Evergreen shrub up to 1m/3ft, pale green bark, dark green leaves, purple/black berries

Blackthorn - Deciduous Thorny shrub or small tree up to 6m/20ft. Slate grey/black bark. Leaves appear in April after the flower -small & oval, alternate. Sharp spines, orange wood. White flowers - February to April 5 white petals Green berries in June Dark-blue berries around August. Ripe in October-November. Called sloes

Woody nightshade - Flowers: May-September Berries: green then yellow then red

Sea Buckthorn - Up to 3.5m/11ft Leaves: dark green Flowers: March-April Fruit: orange berry

Barberry - Perennial Flowers: yellow May-June Fruit: purple berries

Bearberry - Evergreen shrub. Up to 8 inches. Trailing stems and branches. Leaves-dark green, ovate, leathery. Flowers-clusters, white, pinkish flowers bloom May/June. Bright red berries in autumn.

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

Honeysuckle - Woody climbing perennial up to 6m/20ft. Oval leaves. Flowers yellow/white, pink tinged. Tubular shaped followed by orange or red berries

Honeysuckle wild- Deciduous twining, climbing shrub 6m/20ft tall. Leaves: opposite, oval to oblong dark green Flowers creamy/yellow often flushed with purple. June- October Fruit red berry

Lily of the valley - Perennial 23-30cm/9-12in Leaves: pale green and in pairs Flowers: white bell shaped May-June. Fruit: red berry Sweet scent

Redcurrant - Erect shrub up to 1.5m/5ft tall. Leaves hairless or downy beneath not aromatic. Flowers drooping, stalked April – May Fruit translucent red berry

Wintergreen - Evergreen, creeping herb up to 15cm, drooping white flowers July- August. Fruit: red berry

Woody nightshade - Flowers: May-September Berries: green then yellow then red

Woody nightshade - Flowers: May-September Berries: green then yellow then red

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

Bogbean - Aquatic plant Leaves: trefoil Flowers: pink outside, white inside fringed with long white hair May-June Fruit: globular

Buckwheat - Heart shaped leaves. White-pale pink flowers July-September. Three sided angular nuts

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

Cade - Large evergreen shrub up to 4m/13ft high, dark needles, brown/black berries Europe

Comfrey -Perennial height 90cm/3ft Thick black tap root up to 3m/10ft deep. Stem-rough, hairy and square. Leaves dark green, hairy pointed ovals. Blue-mauve Flowers May-October droop in paired clusters white, cream, pink or mauve bellflowers

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

Elecampane -Large, hardy herbaceous perennial. Up to 240cm/8ft. Roots - thick, dark brown. Stems-hairy and filled with spongy pith. Leaves coarse, thick and toothed. Green on top, grey underneath. Yellow flowers June-October Europe

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

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

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

Belladonna - Perennial plant. Thick, whitish root, purplish stem. Height 60-150cm/2-5ft. Leaves-dark green, long pointed oval. Drooping, bell shaped purple flowers, bloom June-August. Black berries-August-November. Foul smell if plant is crushed.

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

Carrot Seed -Annual or biennial or perennial herb. Tough white root, hairy fern-like leaves, stems erect and often branched white lacy flowers outer florets larger than inner ones, cushion shaped June – September 50-100cm/20-40in tall.3 forked or pinnate bracts around flower head

Chervil - Annual.30cm18 inches. Root thin, whitish. Wiry, bright green fern like leaves. Umbels of tiny white flowers May-June Europe, Asia

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

Marshmallow - Perennial 90cm/3ft. Grey-green leaves, White root Tall erect stems. Flowers June-September single pale pink or white.

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

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

Melilotus - Bushy perennial herb up to 1m3ft, smooth erect stems, oval leaves, white or yellow flowers June - September. Hairless brown seed pods

Seeds long narrow

Bittercress hairy -An annual height 5-25cm/2-10in. Leaves compound, flowers white small clusters Feb-September long narrow seed pods

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

Fennel -Herbaceous perennial or biennial. 2m/7 ft. Feathery, segmented leaves and bright golden flowers that bloom in large flat umbels in July-October. Strong smelling, solid stems

Seeds are oval and ribbed and should be dried before use Europe

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