Life Cycles of Herbs

Background

• Herbs are often botanically classified as herbaceous plants (plants that do not develop woody stems), but most gardeners define herbs as any plant that provides a culinary, medicinal or household use.

Types

• Many popular herbs, such as basil, parsley, cilantro, chamomile and nasturtium are grown as annuals that live for one season. Plants such as bergamot, betony, chives, fennel, lavender, lemon balm, mint, oregano, sage, tansy and thyme are perennial plants that return from the same root stock year after year.

Considerations

• Annual herbs must be restarted from seeds or cuttings every year. Unless the plant is specifically grown for its seeds, it will need to be deadheaded regularly to maintain a steady supply of fresh leaves and to prevent the plant from setting seed and dying. Perennial herbs will continue to emerge in the same spot year after year. Like annuals, if a supply of good quality leaves is desired, flowering should be inhibited to allow foliage to continue to grow its best.

Time Frame

• Most annual herbs can be planted after the danger of frost has passed and, if maintained, they will continue to grow until the first frost of the fall or winter season. Some tender herbs can be rooted from cuttings late in the season and brought indoors to overwinter on a windowsill. Rooted cuttings from annuals may not provide a steady supply of fresh herbs but will enable gardeners to have a more established plant earlier the next growing season. Perennial herbs should not be brought in after a frost as they require a dormant period to continue to produce in subsequent years.

Considerations

• In addition to annuals and perennials, a few herbs are classified as shrubs, such as rosemary and bay tree. These are tender plants that will die if subjected to continual freezing temperatures. They are useful in pots so that they can be overwintered indoors. If maintained properly, these plants will live for years.