Brassica Juncea

AKA: Magna Mustard, Osaka Purple Mustard, Bau Sin Mustard, Crispifolia (Mizuna).

Planting: Rich well drained soil in full sun, hardy self seeding annual, 3’-4’.

Harvest: Leaves and flowers are picked when young and used fresh.

Culinary: Young leaves are eaten raw, pickled or cooked as vegetable. Seeds are ground and used as mustard! Sprouted seeds are added to salads.

Medicinal: A warming stimulant herb with antibiotic effects.

Third Eye Vision:

Seeded: Spring 2009 in C8, garden, F2

Links: Wiki

Sources:
The Royal Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses (RHS)

Levisticum Officinale

AKA: Lovage

Planting: Deep, rich moist soil in sun or partial shade. Fully hardy perennial, 6”.

Propagation Zone 6/7: Seed/Perennial

Harvest: Leaves are picked before flowering and dried for use in infusions. Stems are cut in spring, when tender and succulent. Roots are lifted in the third year and used fresh, or dried for decoctions, liquid extracts, tinctures, and oil. Seeds are collected when ripe and dried for use in decoctions.

Culinary: Dried leaves are made into herb tea; young shoots and leafstalks are blanched and eaten as a vegetable. Seeds are added to soups, bread, and biscuits. Leaves are added to salads, soups, stews, and savory dishes.

Medicinal: A bitter sweet sedative herb, pungently aromatic, that benefits the digestion, relaxes spasms, increases perspiration and acts as a diuretic and expectorant. Used internally for indigestion, colic, flatulence, poor appetite, and more.

Third Eye Vision:

Seeded: 2008 in A4; Spring 2009 in F6

Links: Wiki

Sources:
The Royal Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses (RHS)

Coriandrus

AKA: Coriander, Cilantro, Chinese Parsley

Planting: Well drained fertile soil in sun, hardy annual, 1’-2’. Plants grown for leaves are more productive if grown in partial shade, as it tends to bolt if too dry or overcrowded.

Harvest: Leaves are gathered when young and used fresh. Seeds are harvested when ripe and are used whole or ground for culinary purposes. Roots, leaves, seeds and oil are used.

Culinary: Roots are used in Thai cuisine. Leaves and leafstalks are used to flavour soups, salads, beans, and curries.

Medicinal: . Leaves and seeds are rich in volatile oils that act mainly on the digestive system, stimulating the appetites, and relieving irritation. They are also expectorant. Oil is fungicidal and bactericidal. Used internally for minor digestive problems. Used externally for hemorrhoids and painful joints (seeds).

Third Eye Vision:

Seeded: Spring 2009 in E3

Links: Wiki

Sources:
The Royal Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses (RHS)

Fagopyrum Esculentum

AKA: Buckwheat, Soba

Planting: Well drained sandy soil in sun, hardy annual, 3’

Harvest: Leaves and flowers are collected as flowering begins and dried for infusions and tablets. Seeds are harvested when ripe and dried for use whole or ground.

Culinary: Hulled grain (groats) is eaten in breakfast cereals, made into kasha and polenta, and brewed into beer and spirits. Flour is used to make pancakes, noodles, and bread. Also as a thickener for soups and gravy. Buckwheat honey is a traditional ingredient of Jewish Honey wine, and gingerbread.

Medicinal: A bitter but pleasant tasting herb that controls bleeding, dilates blood vessels, reduces capillary permeability, and lowers blood pressure. Used internally for varicose veins, chilblains, spontaneous bruising, frostbite, retinal hemorrhage, and hypertension.

Third Eye Vision:

Seeded: Spring 2009 in C8

Links: Wiki

Sources:
The Royal Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses (RHS)

Helianthus Annua

AKA: Sunflower

Planting: Well drained soil in sun, hardy annual, 1’-12’.

Harvest: Whole plants are cut as flowering begins and used fresh for liquid extracts or tinctures. Seeds are collected in autumn and used fresh, pressed for oil, or roasted

Culinary: Seeds are eaten fresh or roasted; Seeds are sprouted and fermented to make seed yogurt and cheese. Seedlings are eaten in salads, Oil is used for cooking and salads.

Medicinal: A nutritious herb that lowers cholesterol levels and soothes irritated tissues. Used internally for bronchial infections, tuberculosis, and malaria. Used externally as a base for massage oils and liniments used for rheumatic complaints and muscular aches.

Third Eye Vision:

Seeded: Fall 2008 in Taijo A2&B7, Teddy Bear in C5&C7, Spring 2009 Taijo in B7, Fall 2008 Ice cream in B8&C7

Links: Wiki

Sources:
The Royal Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses (RHS)

Eletaria Cardamomum

AKA: Cardamom

Planting: Rich moist well drained soil in sun or partial shade, 50 degrees minimum, evergreen perennial, 10’.

Harvest: Fruits are collected during the dry season and dried whole. Seeds are removed for oil extraction or used in infusion, extracts, powders, and tinctures.

Culinary: Seeds are used to flavour baked goods, coffee, curries, pickles, mile-based desserts, fruit compotes, and mulled wine. The essential oil is used in perfumery.

Medicinal: A pungent, warm, aromatic herb that has stimulating tonic effects, especially on the lungs and kidneys. It relaxes spasm, is expectorant, and improves digestion. It also detoxifies caffeine and counteracts mucus-forming foods, such as dairy produce. Used internally for indigestion, nausea and vomiting, enuresis, and pulmonary disease with copious phlegm.

Third Eye Vision:

Seeded: Transplanted to pot, Spring 2009

Experience: I bought a live plant in 2009 and it still lives. It grows very slowly and is a green ornamental that I keep in my house, and thankfully the cat doesn't poop in the pot. It seems relatively healthy and is decent looking. However, based on posts, I now suspect that it may not be a true Elletaria, but instead Cinnomon Ginger, Alpinia nutans. It looks good anyway. So I am going to try from seed, which is difficult to propagate, and there is not much consistent germination information that I can find. My plan: January 15 pot it, keep moist, and look for germination by April 1.

Links: Wiki

Sources:
The Royal Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses (RHS)

Pimpinella Anisum

AKA: Anise

Planting: Rich well drained soil in sun, half-hardy annual, 20”. It needs a hot summer to thrive and for seed to ripen.

Harvest: Plants and leaves are cut in summer and used fresh. Seeds are collected as they ripen and used for oil or dried and used whole, ground, or in distilled water and infusions.

Culinary: Fresh leaves added to salads, vegetables, soups.

Medicinal: A sweet, warming herb that improves digestions, benefits the liver and circulation, and has expectorant and estrogenic effects. Used internally for dry coughs, whooping, cough, asthma.

Links:
Wiki Pimpinella Anisum

Sources:
The Royal Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses (RHS)

Smyrnium Olusatrum

AKA: Alexanders, Black Lovage, Horse Parsley

Planting: Moist rich sandy soil in sun, propagate by seed, fully hardy perennial, 2’-5’.

Harvest: All parts are used fresh, and seeds are collected when ripe and stored whole or ground.

Culinary: Leaves, young leafstalks, shoots, and roots are cooked as vegetables and added to soups and stews. Flower buds can be added to salads, and spicy seeds may be ground as a condiment.

Medicinal: A bitter diuretic herb with celery like flavor, that aids digestion. Once used for asthma, menstrual problems, and wounds.

Third Eye Vision: A prolific grower, a plant often eaten during the growing season.

Date: Seeded Spring 2009 in A5

Links:
Wiki Alexanders

Sources:
The Royal Horticultural Society New Encyclopedia of Herbs and Their Uses (RHS)