Herbs

Chervil, Anthriscus cerefolium, is one of the classic fines herbes used in French cooking (parsley, chives, and tarragon are the others). It has lacy leaves similar to parsley, but smaller and more delicate. Use chervil in ways similar to parsley - in soups, salads, sauces, and egg dishes. The leaves are…

Persicaria odorata goes by several names — Vietnamese coriander, Vietnamese mint, Asian mint, rau ram, Laksa leaf, and phak phai are some of the more common ones. It's a herb used widely in Southeast Asia and is winter hardy in the frost free areas of Zones 9–11. The flavor is described as being reminiscent…

Chia, Salvia hispanica, is a member of the mint family and is native to Mexico and Central America. Chia is grown primarily for the small mottle-colored seeds which are used as a food source. There is another plant grown for seeds, Salvia columbariae, that is commonly known as golden chia, desert chia, or…

Three popular varieties of sorrel are garden sorrel (Rumex acetosa), French sorrel (R. scutatus), and red veined sorrel (R. sanguineus). French sorrel is the preferred variety for culinary use. It grows throughout Europe, in almost all soils and situations. The arrow shaped leaves have a bright, lemony…

Dill can be grown for both its leaves and seeds. It is a self-seeding annual which will return year-after-year if seeds are allowed to mature in place. Dill is native to southern Russia, western Africa, and the Mediterranean. It is part of the Umbelliferae family, which includes celery, cumin, fennel, and…

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a warm weather annual herb grown for both its leaves and seeds. There are many varieties of basil including Sweet, Thai, Lemon, Genovese/Italian, Purple Leaf, and Tulsi or Holy Basil. Growing techniques are common for most, although African Blue Basil is grown as a tender…

Fenugreek, Trigonella foenum-graecum, is one of the oldest cultivated medicinal plants. Its exact origin is unknown, but it is believed to be native to Southern Europe and Asia. The green parts of the plant are mildly bitter and typically cooked as a vegetable, or dried and used in many versions of spice…

There are many herbs that grow well or even grow best in the cool season in Santa Clara County. Fall is also a great time to plant perennial herbs because it lets them get well established over our rainy season. Listed below are the herb seedlings that we will be offering.

Ginger, Zingiber officionale, is a tropical plant originally from southern China. It can be grown in Northern California with the right amount of care. The "root" portion used in cooking is a rhizome, technically not a root but an underground stem.