List of herbs and spices - Definition and Overview

By far the most commonly used seasoning for food is table salt; however, it is a mineral, not a spice.

List of spices

• Ajwain (Carom, Ajowan)
• Allspice
• Amchur
• Anise
• Annatto
• Asafoetida
• Barberry
• Bay leaves
• Black cardamom
• Black cumin
• Black limes
• Bush tomato
• Calamus
• Candle nut
• Caper (Capparis spinosa)
• Caraway
• Cardamom
• Celery seed
• Chicory
• Chile pepper
• Cinnamon (and Cassia)
• Cloves
• Coriander
• Cumin
• Curry leaf (Murraya koenigii)
• Dill seed
• Elderberry
• Fennel
• Fenugreek
• Filé powder
• Galangal
• Garlic
• Ginger root
• Grains of paradise
• Horseradish
• Kokam
• Juniper
• Licorice
• Mahlab
• Mastic
• Mustard seed
• Nigella (Kolanji, Black caraway)
• Nutmeg (and Mace)
• Orris root
• Paprika
• Pepper (and relatives)
• Pomegranate seeds (though some consider these a fruit, not a spice)
• Poppy seed
• Safflower
• Saffron
• Sesame seed
• Sorrel (Rumex spp.)
• Star anise
• Sumac
• Szechuan pepper (Xanthoxylum piperitum)
• Tamarind
• Turmeric
• Vanilla
• Wasabi
• Wattleseed
• Zedoary

List of herbs

• Alexanders (Smyrnium olusatrum)
• Angelica (Angelica archangelica)
• Balm (Melissa officinalis)
• Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
• Bergamot (Monarda didyma)
• Bison grass (Hierochloe odorata)
• Bolivian Coriander (Porophyllum ruderale)
• Borage (Borago officinalis)
• Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)
• Chives (Allium schoenoprasum)
• Cilantro (see Coriander) (Coriandrum sativum)
• Cress
• Damiana (Turnera aphrodisiaca, T. diffusa)
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
• Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) medicinal
• Dill (Anethum graveolens)
• Epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides)
• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
• Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis)
• Kaffir Lime Leaves (Citrus hystrix, C. papedia)
• Lavender (Lavandula spp.)
• Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus, C. flexuosus, and other species)
• Lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora)
• Lemon verbena (Lippia citriodora)
• Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
• Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
• Mint (Mentha spp.)
• Mustard
• Oregano (Origanum vulgare, O. heracleoticum, and other species)
• Pandan leaf
• Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
• Primrose (Primula) -- candied flowers, tea
• Purslane
• Rocket (Arugula)
• Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
• Sage (Salvia officinalis)
• Salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor or Poterium sanguisorba)
• Savory (Satureja hortensis, S. montana)
• Sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata)
• Sweet woodruff
• Tansy
• Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
• Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
• Vietnamese Coriander or Rau ram (Polygonum odoratum or Persicaria odorata)

External links for culinary plants:

• http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/faqs/culi-cont.html
• http://www-ang.kfunigraz.ac.at/~katzer/engl/index.html
• http://www.kestrelherbs.co.uk
• http://www.herbsrus.co.uk
• http://www.kestrelherbs.com

Toxic herbs

These "culinary" plants contain [hepatotoxicity liver-toxic] pyrrolizidine alkaloids:

• Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys)
• Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) (While some amateur herbalists on the internet claim that common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is safe in small doses, at least one study recommends against using common comfrey internally[1] (http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/faqs/medi-2-15-comfrey.html), and the Food and Drug Administration also recommends against its use.)
• Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
• Borage (Borago officinalis) (flowers and seeds are nontoxic)

This "culinary" plant is toxic unless picked at the correct time and prepared correctly:

• Pokeroot or pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

Common herb mixtures

• Fines herbes
• Herbes de Provence

Common spice mixtures

• Adobe criollo
• Berebere
• Chili powder
• Five-spice powder (Chinese)
• Curry powder
• Garam masala
• Jamaican jerk spice
• Ponch phoran
• Quatre épices
• Ras-el hanout
• Sansho
• Tabasco sauce
• Zahtar

See also: List of medicinal herbs, Spice, Herb