Growth Characteristics of Common Herbs

	Light	Soil	Height	Propagation	Hardiness
Angelica Angelica archangelica Biennial Best in cool climates.	Light shade	Moist soil	72 inches	Seed in fall	Hardy
Anise Pimpinella anisum Annual Alkaline soils.	Bright	Well drained	18 to 24 inches	Seed in spring	Half hardy
Basil, sweet Ocimum basilicum Annual Excellent for pots.	Bright	Moist soil	18 inches	Seed in spring	Tender
Bay, sweet Laurus nobilis Woody perennial For containers. Topiary.	Light shade	Well drained	48+ inches	Cuttings	Tender
Borage Borago officinalis Annual Often self-Seeds.	Bright	Dry soil	24 to 36 inches	Seed in spring	Hardy annual
Caraway Carum carvi Biennial Thin seedlings to eight inches.	Bright	Well drained	30 inches	Seed in spring Seed in fall	Hardy
Catnip Nepeta cataria Perennial Cut back in autumn.	Bright Light shade	Well drained	36 inches	Seed in spring Division Cuttings	Hardy
Chervil Anthriscus cerefolium Annual Sow early, will self-Seed.	Light shade	Well drained	24 inches	Seed in spring	Hardy annual
Chives Allium schoenoprasum Perennial Can be grown indoors.	Shade Light shade	Dry soil	10 inches	Seed in spring Division	Hardy
Cicely, sweet Myrrhis odorata Perennial Space two feet apart.	Light shade	Rich	36 to 48 inches	Seed in fall	Hardy
Comfrey Symphytum officinale Perennial Neutral pH, high fertility.	Bright	Rich	36 to 48 inches	Division	Hardy
Coriander Coriander sativum Annual Space plants eight inches apart.	Bright	Rich Well drained	24 inches	Seed in spring	Hardy annual
Dill Anethum graveolens Annual Do not plant with fennel.	Bright	Rich Well drained	24 to 36 inches	Seed in spring	Hardy annual
Fennel, sweet Foeniculum dulce Perennial Less vigor in clay soils.	Bright	Well drained	48 to 72 inches	Seed in spring, Division	Hardy
Horehound Marrubium vulgare Perennial Alkaline soils.	Bright	Dry soil	24 inches	Seed in spring Division Cuttings	Hardy
Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis Perennial Cut back in spring.	Bright	Dry soil	24 inches	Seed in spring Division Cuttings	Hardy
Lavender Lavandula angustifolia Perennial Evergreen. May winter-kill.	Bright	Dry soil	18 to 24 inches	Seed in fall Cuttings	Hardy
Lemon Balm Melissa officinalis Perennial Can be grown indoors. Weedy.	Bright Light shade	Moist soil	18 to 24 inches	Seed in spring Division Cuttings	Hardy
Lemon Verbena Aloysia Triphylla Woody perennial Rarely survives winter. Good indoors.	Bright Light shade	Well drained	48+ inches	Seed in spring Cuttings	Half hardy
Lovage Levisticum officinale Perennial Self-seeds.	Bright Light shade	Rich Moist soil	36 to 60 inches	Seed in fall	Hardy
Marjoram, sweet Origanum majorana Perennial Grow in pots. Sow seeds as annual.	Bright Light shade	Rich Well drained	8 to 12 inches	Seed in spring Cuttings	Half hardy
Myrtle Myrtus communis Woody perennial Evergreen. For large containers.	Bright	Well drained	60+ inches	Cuttings	Tender
Oregano Origanum vulgare Perennial Cut back in late fall.	Bright Light shade	Well drained	18 to 24 inches	Seed in spring Division Cuttings	Hardy
Parsley Petroselinum crispum Biennial Often self-seeds.	Bright Light shade	Rich Moist soil	6 to 10 inches	Seed in spring	Half hardy
Peppermint Mentha piperita Perennial Spreads easily. Good indoors.	Bright Light shade	Moist soil	12 to 24 inches	Division Cuttings	Hardy
Rosemary Rosemarinus officinalis Woody perennial Alkaline soils. Good in pots.	Bright	Dry soil Well drained	36 inches	Cuttings	Tender
Sage Salvia officinalis Woody perennial Replace plants every five years.	Bright	Dry soil Well drained	24 to 36 inches	Seed in spring Cuttings	Hardy
Sage, pineapple Salvia elegans Perennial Good indoors.	Bright	Well drained	24 to 48 inches	Seed in spring Cuttings	Half hardy
Savory, summer Satureja hortensis Annual Trim back during season.	Bright	Rich	18 inches	Seed in spring	Half hardy
Savory, winter Satureja montana Woody perennial Alkaline soil.	Bright	Well drained	24 inches	Seed in fall Division Cuttings	Hardy
Spearmint Mentha spicata Perennial Spreads easily. Good indoors.	Bright Light shade	Moist soil	18 inches	Division Cuttings	Hardy
Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus Perennial Needs winter protection.	Bright	Rich Dry soil	24 inches	Division Cuttings	Hardy
Thyme Thymus vulgaris Woody perennial Evergreen. Grows indoors.	Bright	Dry soil	6 to 10 inches	Seed in spring Division Cuttings	Hardy
Woodruff, sweet Asperula odorata Perennial Good groundcover.	Shade Light shade	Moist soil	6 to 8 inches	Division Cuttings	Hardy