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Horticulture Principles and Practices

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21<br />

Herb Gardening<br />

PURPOSE AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES<br />

This chapter discusses the use of herbs <strong>and</strong> their cultivation.<br />

After studying this chapter, the student should be able to<br />

1. List ten herbs.<br />

2. Discuss the use of herbs in the l<strong>and</strong>scape.<br />

3. Discuss the medicinal <strong>and</strong> culinary uses of herbs.<br />

4. Describe the general cultivation <strong>and</strong> care of herbs.<br />

OVERVIEW<br />

Herbs are plants that include a variety of types—annuals, biennials, perennials, woody,<br />

herbaceous, roots, leaves, bulbs, flowering, <strong>and</strong> nonflowering. They may be grown in the<br />

l<strong>and</strong>scape as ornamentals, in gardens (flower <strong>and</strong> vegetable), or in containers for medicinal<br />

<strong>and</strong> other uses. They are also adapted to a wide variety of growing conditions.<br />

646<br />

21.1 USES<br />

Characteristics of common herbs are described in Table 21–1.<br />

21.1.1 MEDICINAL<br />

Herbal medicine was the primary form of therapy for treatment of diseases in ancient<br />

times <strong>and</strong> still plays a significant role in the treatment of diseases in many cultures today.<br />

Medicinal herbs are used in a myriad of ways. They may be brewed to extract the essential<br />

chemicals <strong>and</strong> drunk like a tea. Some are burned as incense or vaporized <strong>and</strong> inhaled,<br />

<strong>and</strong> others have essential oils that can be extracted <strong>and</strong> used as ointments or balms.

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