Do you still have space in the herb garden? Good thing, because you will need it, even if you only want to plant and try some of the 77 hardy herbs presented below. Perennial, hardy herbs are scarce in your herb garden? That will change after this article, because you will be introduced to the 77 perennial herbs that can be used as spices in the kitchen and are hardy in Germany.
Perennial herbs
Herbs A to C
agastache
Agastache, Agastache pallidiflora neomexicana, 40 cm high spice plant of the North American Indians, which is just gaining a foothold in Germany. In the garden, it delights bees and butterflies, and leaves and flowers such as mint and lemon balm can be used in the kitchen.
Agastache, sweet nettle
elecampane
Elecampane, Inula helenium, a perennial plant that grows up to 2 m tall with yellow flowers. Allergy sufferers should test elecampane cautiously, many people are allergic to the ingredients.
Inula helenium, elecampane
aniseed goldenrod
Aniseed goldenrod, Solidago odora, dainty goldenrod with a final height of 90 cm, whose flower panicles are really impressive and whose young, tender leaves are an interesting alternative to tarragon in the kitchen.
Argentine myrtle
Argentine myrtle, Myrteola nummularia, around 1.50 m, the first hardy myrtle on sale, which gives grilled meat, roasts and fish a pleasant spicy taste. Should get a sheltered spot as a young plant.
oyster plant
Oyster plant, Mertensia maritima, only 20 cm high, but they have it all: The noble relative of borage tastes delicately of mushrooms, oysters or anchovies and seasons salads, spreads and fish creams just as delicately and as unusual.
eyeroot
Eyeroot, Athamantha cretensis, approx. 1.20 m high umbellifer with pretty white flowers, in the kitchen the herb and seeds are an interesting, parsley-like seasoning for salads, herb creams and soups, eyeroot is traditionally used as a liqueur herb.
stream exercise
Bachbunge, Veronica beccabunga, adorns well-moist locations with sky-blue flowers up to 1 m high, seasons salads and stir-fried vegetables with its herb.
Bear Claw
Bear's Claw, Heracleum spondylium, the native Meadow Bear's Claw grows up to 1.5 m tall and flowers in pretty white umbels when not previously covered with leaves and stems, buds and seeds full of vitamins and minerals Salads, smoothies, vegetables, herb pancakes … finely aromatic seasoned.
wild garlic
Over time, wild garlic, Allium ursinum, grows into approx. 30 cm high, white-flowering meadows under trees and is the garlic of choice from March to June for everyone who doesn't want to smell of garlic after eating.
Allium ursinum, wild garlic
bearberry
Bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, creeping evergreen shrub to 50 cm tall with cute pink flower bells, whose leaves and fruits are famous as a saving tea for urinary tract infections, but whose berries also flavor homemade bread.
Bärwurz
Bärwurz, Meum athamanticum, the 80 cm high umbellifer is an excellent herb whose fine, dill-like leaves and root abrasion bring a strong, hearty taste to herbal quark, soups and pestos.
valerian
Valerian, Valeriana officinalis, the magnificent, up to 1.60 m high flowering shrub not only ensures good sleep with a tea made from the leaves, but also gives yoghurt and fruit salad a delicate, surprising flavor with the delicate pink flowers.
balsam poplar
Balsam poplar, Populus balsamifera, with a final height of 5 m, is more of a tree than a herb, but its aromatic buds and young shoots are often and happily used in wild herb cooking.
Populus koreana, Korean Balsam Poplar
Mugwort
Mugwort, Artemisia vulgaris, the indispensable poultry seasoning for "fat geese" and other roast poultry (supposed to have a positive effect on the digestion of fat) grows on the edge of the herb garden without paying any attention to almost 2 m high perennials with fine flowering candles.
Comfrey
Comfrey, Symphytum officinale, around 60 cm high herb with pink flowers, heals wounds and bones and roots cuttings, but also flavors salads, soups and vegetables with the young leaves.
Berle
Berle, Berula erecta, the 40 cm high herb is also called water celery because it can be used like celery: seasons wild salads and soups, can be stewed whole and then tastes like baby ears.
mountain cumin
Mountain cumin, Laserpitium siler, approx. 1.20 m high umbellifer, which can completely replace the annual cumin if you like the additional note of cumin + some spiciness.
Laserpitium siler, mountain cumin
burnet
Burnet burnet, Pimpinella saxifraga, pretty, up to 60 cm tall herb with white flowers. The leaves, flowers and roots are used as a spice with a sweet anise taste.
Bloodroot
Bloodroot, Potentilla erecta, a really neat little herb from the rose family, with yellow flowers, star-shaped leaves and a loosely climbing growth whose interesting tannin flavor should no longer only be available to Bavarian schnapps distillers.
borage
Borage, Borago pygmaea, the perennial form of the "cucumber herb" only grows to a height of 20 cm, but like the 1-year-old borage it can season cucumber and other salads or be stewed like spinach. Cover with brushwood in severe winter frosts.
Borago officinalis, borage
nettle
Stinging nettle large, Urtica dioica, around 1 m, is worth planting in the garden not only because of its seasoning talents or enduring appetite for delicious nettle soup, but also because, as a neighbor of aromatic herbs such as angelica and peppermint, it has been shown to ensure that they develop more essential oil.
Urtica, nettles
Chinese vegetable tree
Chinese vegetable tree, Toona sinensis, again a fairly large herb, or rather a little tree up to 2 m high, but which will hardly reach this height because the tasty, tender shoots are constantly cut off to bring fresh flavor to vegetable dishes or soups. Also called Maggi tree or Chop Suey tree.
Chinese spice bush
Chinese spice shrub, Elsholtzia stauntonii, slightly woody, winter-hardy small shrub with pink panicles of flowers from late summer to autumn and a final height of 90 cm. The aroma of the leaves is reminiscent of sage, caraway and mint, but they also add a very special note to the spice game.
Chinese lovage
Chinese lovage, Ligusticum sinense or Gao Ben, a spicy perennial about 1 m tall, whose leaves are somewhere between lovage and celery in terms of aroma and are simply a stunner as a soup seasoning.
curry bush
Curry shrub, Helichrysum italicum, up to 50 cm high shrub with yellow summer flowers, which is only really hardy from the right nursery and brings a pleasant curry note to dishes and rice with leaves and twigs (boil and fish out before eating).
Helichrysum italicum, curry herb
Cystus
Cystus, Cistus incanus ssp.tauricus, about 90 cm high shrub, which is known as a tasty tea, but has so far been tried as a spice by top chefs. With recent research showing that Cystus has three times the polyphenols of green tea and red wine, that is likely to change soon.
Herbs E to G
Southernwood
Southernwood, Artemisia abrotanum, about 1 m high, tart "lemon herb" with many small yellow flowers, which is used as a spice in Italian cuisine and should be used with caution because of its intensity.
marshmallow
Marshmallow, Althaea officinalis, very decorative mallow with delicate pink flowers and many culinary talents: Marshmallow roots are made from real marshmallows, the flowers and young leaves adorn and flavor salads and soups and used to be indispensable in stuffings for suckling pigs.
angelica
Angelica, Angelica dahurica, approx. 1 m, impressive, large "globular umbel flower", in the kitchen the aromatic root flavors soups, bread and herb butter.
Angelica archangelica, medicinal angelica, real angelica
fumitory
Fumitory, Fumaria officinalis, the poppy plant is particularly popular with users of incense, but the leaves of the approx. 40 cm high herb also like to spice up spring salads.
tarragon
Tarragon, German, Artemisia dracunculus cv., perfect compromise between the real, aromatic and rather delicate French tarragon and the vigorous, robust but offending Russian tarragon. Reaches heights of around 90 cm, particularly good in green salads and as herb cream cheese (the original recipe of the famous Boursin only calls for tarragon and salt).
Artemisia dracunculus, Tarragon
ladymint
Lady's mint, Tanacetum balsamita, shrub that grows up to 1.20 m tall with camphor and thujone in the aroma of numerous essential oils, was traditionally added to egg dishes as a spice, could prove to be extremely interesting for desserts/chocolate.
sedum
Stonecrop, Sedum telephium, the wild form of the roofing succulent grows to around 80cm tall and provides thick, succulent leaves that flavor salads and vegetables. The root tubers can also be eaten cooked as a vegetable.
Sedum telephium Xenox, Tall Stonecrop, Garden Bacopa
Fuki
Fuki, Petasites japonicus, an up to 80 cm high "plant tower" with an incredible flower at the top, whose thick flower buds z. B. as a spice in miso soup, while the young stalks are eaten steamed in spring in Japan.
Petasites japonicus, Japanese butterbur, fuki
cinquefoil
Cinquefoil, Potentilla anserina, is a tiny weed of around 10 cm, whose leaves and sprouts impress with their very high vitamin C content and season wild salads and vegetables.
gall bush
Myrica gale, the leaves of the 1.50 m tall shrub have an aroma reminiscent of laurel and can be used to season appropriate dishes and to produce Nordic gruit beer (herb beer).
garden mint
Garden mint, Calamintha grandiflora, around 60 cm high mint with beautiful pink flowers from spring to autumn and a dark, warm mint aroma that can be used for the well-known seasoning purposes.
garden cress
Garden cress, Lepidium latifolium, the perennial cress that grows to a height of 1 m offers the same peppery-fresh taste as the short-lived garden cress, but for many years.
Lepidium sativum, garden cress, cress
goatfoot
Goatfoot, white variegated, Aegopodium podagraria, 50 cm Leafy green with a white edge that flavors salads, soups and spring vegetables.
spice fennel
Sweet fennel, Foeniculum vulgare, looks impressive at 2m and produces not only seeds for fresh fennel tea but also aromatic leaves which are essential condiments in a number of dishes from around the world.
Foeniculum vulgare, fennel
ground ivy
Ground ivy, Glechoma hederacea, around 20 cm tall, rapidly spreading plant with violet flowers that flavors Czech Easter meat, omelettes, herb butter and soups.
Glechoma hederacea, ground ivy
Herbs I to K
Immenblatt
Beetle, Melittis melissophyllum, 60 cm high lamiaceae with nectar-rich, pale pink flowers and a spicy herb that can be used in the kitchen like lemon balm or marjoram.
Italian rocket
Italian rocket, Diplotaxis tenuifolia (Rucola silvatica), grows to 40 cm in the wild form and is considerably spicier than the cultivar, which is currently thrown in everything including pizza.
Japanese angelica tree
Japanese angelica tree, Aralia elata, the young leaf shoots of the shrub, which can reach 5 m in height when unpruned, are used. They are blanched pure or baked in batter or added to salads and spreads as an artichoke-flavoured herb.
Garlic Germander
Garlic gamander, Teucrium scordium, decorative 25 cm herb with pink flowers and such an intense garlic aroma in the leaves that they should be used sparingly for seasoning.
garlic mustard
Garlic mustard, Alliaria petiolata, even more garlic flavor, this time on a delicate 60cm tall plant with tiny white flowers and a hint of cress included. The white, smooth, carrot-like taproot can be used like horseradish.
Herbs L to O
Leek slices
Sliced leeks, Peltaria alliacea, delicious 50 cm high wild herb, whose taste combines cress, mustard and garlic and is one of the few herbs that can also be harvested in winter.
lavender
Lavender, Lavandula angustifolia, the rather small, short-leaved and "real" variant with a growth height of up to 50 cm. Plenty of aroma that increases in sweetness in almost faded flowers, which is why these should only then be cut for lavender sugar and herbal tea supplies.
Lavandula angustifolia, Lavender
lovage
Lovage, Levisticum officinale, quickly develops into a sizable 2m bush, the leaves of which are famous as Maggi herb and should be used about as sparingly as Maggi, but gives at least half of all savory dishes the finishing touch.
Levisticum officinale, lovage, maggi herb
spoonwort
Spoonwort, Cochlearia officinalis, about 40 cm high herb that prefers to grow in the salty soil of the North Sea coast, but also produces the cress-sharp, round leaves with lots of vitamin C in normal garden soil. In contrast to cress, the many small white flowers spread an intense honey scent in spring.
Cochlearia officinalis, spoonwort
dandelion
Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale sativum, powerful 40 cm cultivated form with only slightly bitter, iron-rich flavor in the leaves.
Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia, dandelion
meadowsweet
Meadowsweet, Filipendula ulmaria, up to 1.40 m high, flowering in white panicles, which, along with mistletoe, watercress and verbena, was one of the four magical herbs of the Celts. The leaves can be used as a seasoning for savory and sweet foods, the blossoms contain piperonal, a vanilla-scented flavoring that is used e.g. B. is used to flavor chocolate.
Filipendula ulmaria, Meadowsweet
marjoram
Marjoram winter hardy, Origanum x majoricum, 80 cm high, vital herb, which is also known as Italian oregano and is a cross between marjoram + oregano - also in taste, for many dishes "the best marjoram and the best oregano".
Origanum majorana, marjoram
Marienblatt
Marienblatt, Tanacetum balsamita, around 1.20 m high medicinal and aromatic plant with yellow flowers and a tart-sweet mint aroma, which should be used sparingly due to its phototoxic effect.
horseradish
Horseradish, Armoracia rusticana, definitely deserves a place in the herb garden because, in addition to the hot root, the horseradish leaves and flowers can also be used for seasoning.
Armoracia rusticana, horseradish
Masterwort
Masterwort, Peucedanum ostruthium, old southern German wild perennial with a height of around 1.50 m, the root of which was formerly used as a cheese spice and is now used to flavor soups and vegetables.
multimentham mint
Multimentham mint, Mentha x piperita, around 1 m high, robust and vigorously growing mint from old GDR breeding, which impresses with large, hairy leaves full of an intense peppermint aroma.
Mentha piperita, peppermint
nutmeg
Nutmeg, Achillea ageratum, 1.20 high and prefers damp, partially shaded places at home; the taste of the delicate leaves is actually reminiscent of nutmeg and comes out best when the herb is used with leeks, onions and/or garlic.
olive herb
Olive herb, Santolina rosmarinifolia, 50 cm Mini shrub with leaves that taste like pickled olives and z. B. give acidic marinades a Mediterranean touch.
oregano
Oregano, Origanum vulgare, 1 m high, with white flowers and fresh green foliage, which is indispensable not only for Italian pasta sauce and chili con carne.
Origanum vulgare, oregano
Herbs R to T
Roman Bertram
Roman Bertram, Anacyclus pyrethrum, small 30 cm herb, which was one of the most important herbs for Hildegard von Bingen and improves the taste of a wide variety of dishes with its mild spiciness.
burnet
Burnet burnet, Sanguisorba minor, 1.20 high and native to our latitudes, herb with small red flowers and a nutty cucumber taste, which develops the most aroma when there is a lot of moisture.
Sanguisorba minor, little burnet, burnet, burnet
quenelle
Quendel, Thymus serpyllum, forms only 10 cm high creeping mats with pink flowers and can be used as a spice like thyme, but the wild variety has a very lively aroma.
Thymus serpyllum, wild thyme
rosemary
Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, e.g. B. in the "Arp" variety, winter hardy to at least -22°C, 1.20 m high gray-leaved form with a good, fresh aroma and light blue flowers.
Rosmarinus officinalis, rosemary
sage
Sage, Salvia officinalis, woody shrub with gray foliage and blue-purple flowers that can reach 1.20 m tall; but should not become high because it will become lignified to the top if it is not constantly cut back to the new shoots.
Salvia officinalis, common sage
sorrel
Sorrel, Rumex acetosa, knotweed plant up to 150 m tall, whose large leaves give spring herb soups, salads and herb quark a refreshing, slightly sour note.
chives
Chives, Allium tuberosum, 50 cm high leek plant with white flowers and a mild garlic flavor that hardly causes any odor after eating.
Allium tuberosum, garlic chives, chives
chives
Chives, Allium schoenoprasum, 35 cm high, narrow tubular herb, of which the young flowers can also be used as a spicy and decorative salad addition.
Allium schoenoprasum, Chives
Sigmarskraut
Sigmarskraut, Malva alcea, around 1.20 m high rose mallow, of which everything except the root is edible and can be used as a seasoning. The nutty seeds taste best just before ripening.
Sichuan pepper
Szechuan pepper, Zanthoxylum simulans, approx. 2 m high rhomboid plant, which, to the delight of all fans of Asian cuisine, is also completely hardy in Germany.
watercress
Watercress, Rorippa amphibia, 1.50 m high cress for wet spots in the garden or the edge of the pond, whose young shoots, leaves and flowers taste wonderfully aromatic of watercress and horseradish.
thyme
Thyme, Thymus vulgaris, 30 cm high jack of all trades, which seasons lamb and game, poultry and fish and even cakes and pralines with its strong, slightly tart taste.
Thymus vulgaris, thyme
Herbs W to Z
forest goat's beard
Forest goat's beard, Aruncus dioicus, 2 m high wild asparagus, which can enrich vegetables and soups for a while after its "asparagus season" in April and May.
wasabi
Wasabi, the Japanese horseradish Wasabia japonica, also likes to grow in cultivars such as 'Matsum' in Germany, which means that you can make real wasabi from the 30 cm high plant (affordable wasabi paste also consists of horseradish + green color in Japan ): Put the leaves, stalks, possibly the root with (rice) vinegar and salt in the blender.
winter savory
Winter savory, Satureja montana, perennial savory with a fine, strong aroma, pink flowers and upright growth up to 60 cm, which makes washing unnecessary and allows longer branches to be cut (for grilling, cooking, drying in bundles).
Satureja montana, winter savory
hyssop
Hyssop, Hyssopus officinalis, dwarf shrub with a maximum height of 90 cm, bright violet panicles of flowers and tremendous seasoning (tastes like a mixture of oregano, sage and rosemary).
lemon balm
Lemon balm, Melissa officinalis, up to 1.20 m high, extremely winter-hardy lemon balm with a strong lemon aroma, which is only clearly perceptible in dishes when used in raw/fresh form.
Melissa officinalis, lemon balm
food industry
It's amazing the amounts of varied, interesting food that lure people away from the food industry. The fact that in industry, which provides the food for the majority of the population, a large part of the (finished) products is made durable and suitable for consumption with always the same cheap ingredients, has consequences: If you don't find the time to find out about the ingredients and Informing about the origin/origin of one's food trains only a fraction of one's taste buds (taste impoverished); and he does not consume all the many different valuable ingredients that e.g. B. in the herbs listed above (and in organically grown vegetables, cereals, meat, etc.).
Herb garden
In order to make yourself independent of the mishmash in the supermarket, which is not very rich in valuable nutrients, all you need now is enough space in the herb garden, a good herb gardener or plant exchange market, patience and culinary curiosity… Unfortunately, the spice talents of the individual herbs could only be discussed very briefly otherwise it would not have been an article but a small cookbook.
Each of these herbs is also said to have various positive effects on the human metabolism and various healing powers. Unfortunately, it was hardly possible to go into this because it would have become a long tome - but it can be assumed that vitality and health will make a gratifying leap if all these herbs are (alternately) incorporated into the daily diet, because of the many positive effects of the ingredients have now been scientifically proven.