This section is from the book "The Standard Cyclopedia Of Horticulture Vol2", by L. H. Bailey. See also: Western Garden Book: More than 8,000 Plants - The Right Plants for Your Climate - Tips from Western Garden Experts.
Culinary Herbs are those herbs used for flavoring in cookery, but the term has a wide application, including species used for garnishing and sometimes as potherbs. The culinary herbs are of very minor importance in American gardens, and yet a few of them, as anise, caraway and coriander, are well and favorably known. The species are mostly aromatic. They are largely of the Umbelliferae and Labiatae. No special difficulty attaches to their cultivation, and little more may be said here than to present an alphabetical list with statements as to uses, duration of plant, and means of propagation. They all thrive in mellow fertile garden land. Usually they are grown at the side of the main garden plantation, and they may add a certain charm to the garden as well as to supply an agreeable aroma to the kitchen products. See the little book on "Culinary Herbs" by M. G. Kains, 1912.
Umbelliferae. Biennial or perennial. Uses: Stems and leaf-stalks as salad, or roasted like potatoes; garnish; as "candied angelica;" stems blanched and used as vegetable; leaves as spinach; seeds for flavoring; oil of angelica obtained from seeds for flavoring. Propagated by seeds in late summer or early autumn.
Umbelliferae. Annual. Uses: Leaves as garnish, flavoring, and potherb; seeds and oil for flavoring and perfumery. Propagated by seeds in early spring.
Labiatae. Perennial. Uses: Foliage for flavoring and salad; oil for perfumery and flavoring beverages. Propagated by divisions, layers, cuttings and seeds.
Labiatae. Annual. Uses: As flavor in highly seasoned dishes; oil as perfumery. Propagated by seeds.
Boraginaceae. Annual. Uses: Herbage as potherb and salad; garnish; flavor in beverages. Propagated by seeds in spring.
Umbelliferae. Biennial or annual. Uses: Herbage eaten cooked or as salad; roots as vegetable; seeds for flavoring; oil in manufacture of perfumery and soaps. Propagated by seeds in May or early June.
Labiatae. Perennial. Uses: As bee forage; leaves as condiment; formerly a medicinal remedy. Propagated by seeds in autumn or spring.
Umbelliferae. Annual. Uses: Leaves for seasoning and for mixed salads. Propagated by seeds.
Liliaceae. Perennial. Uses: Leaves for flavoring. Propagated by individual bulbs or division of clumps in early spring.
Labiatae. Perennial. Uses: Leaves in cookery; wine made from plant when in flower. Propagated by seeds in spring.
Umbelliferae. Annual. Uses: Seed in confectionary and as ingredient in condiments; flavor in beverages. Propagated by seeds in spring or autumn.
Umbelliferae. Annual. Uses: Seeds as ingredient in curry powder; for flavoring pickles, pastry and soups. Propagated by seeds in spring.
Umbelliferae. Annual. Uses: Seed as seasoning, extensively for commercial pickles; oil for perfuming soap; young leaves as seasoning and salads; dill vinegar as condiment. Propagated by seeds in spring.
Umbelliferae. Biennial or perennial. Uses: Herbage as garnishes and flavors; as salads; seeds for flavoring beverages, and for confectionary; oil as perfumery. Propagated by seeds, and grown as an annual.
Umbelliferae. Annual. Uses: As a vegetable. Propagated by seeds.
Ranunculaceae. Annual. Uses: Whole plant or seed used in cookery. Propagated by seeds in spring.
Labiatae. Perennial. Uses: Formerly in cookery and medicine; now for candy only. Propagated by seeds in spring.
Labiatae. Perennial. Uses: Herbage in salads; oil in preparation of soaps, etc. Propagated by divisions, cuttings and seeds in spring.
Labiatae. Perennial. Uses: Flowers and oil in perfumery; sometimes as condiment and in salads. Propagated by divisions or cuttings, or rarely seeds.
Umbelliferae. Perennial." Uses: Young stems in confectionary. Propagated by division or seeds in late summer.
Com-positae. Annual. Uses: Flower-heads as seasoning; fresh flowers to color butter. Propagated by seeds in spring.
Uses: Herbage for seasoning; oil in perfuming soaps, etc. Propagated by cuttings, division or layers and seeds in spring.
Labiatae. Perennial. Uses: Herbage as seasoning; leaves in jelly. Propagated by cuttings, offsets and divisions in spring.
Umbelliferae. Biennial. Uses: Roots as vegetable; top as potherb; leaves for seasoning and garnish. Propagated by seeds in spring.
Labiatae. Perennial. Uses: Leaves as seasoning; pennyroyal oil. Propagated by division, or rarely cuttings.
Labiatae. Perennial. Uses: Oil as flavoring; perfume in soaps, etc. Propagated by division or running rootstocks.
 
Continue to: