Herbs are some of the best plants in Texas. Most herbs like it hot and dry, so they are natural for Texas. Herbs are a pleasure to care for; trimming them fills the air with their delightful fragrance. The cuttings can often be used in cooking. You need to understand the requirements for the particular herb you are growing. The following list will give helpful hints for cultivating some of the best herbs we can grow here. Try adding herbs to any ornamental or vegetable bed. Since most herbs are quite pretty, they belong in flower beds, often adding extra appeal, color, and fragrance.
You will see that on my site, I have often listed herbs in the category of landscape plants, such as shrubs and ground covers. Herbs are often overlooked as landscape plants, but they make some of the best, easiest to care for, and cheapest plants you can use for shrubs and groundcovers. Powis Castle Artemisia is a fine border shrub, and thyme is a great small shrub. Try using Salad burnet wherever you want a plant that looks much like a fern. It is pretty and can take much more heat and sun than ferns. You will not be disappointed!
Basil
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This herb cannot take freezing weather, so plant it when all danger of frost has passed in the spring. Everyone knows that basil is essential in Italian cooking, and you will also find several basil varieties used in other cultural cuisines. Plant several kinds and have fun experimenting with them in cooking—plant in rich soil. Basil has relatively high watering requirements for an herb and plants it with other herbs that need to be watered once a week.
Although the flowers of many species are decorative, trim them off if you want to cook with them. I believe freezing basil does not work well, as much of the flavor is lost. You can be moderately successful growing basil under lights indoors through the winter but keep the plant close to the light to avoid leggy basil.
Growing Basil in Texas
First, find a location with plenty of sun exposure; at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day will be ideal for the plant’s growth. Basil also needs well-draining soil that is moist but not wet – adding compost or aged manure is recommended to give the soil extra nutrition. Plant the seeds about one-fourth of an inch deep into the soil and space them out; allowing around 2 inches between each seedling is best practice.
Chives
Chives are a popular herb that can be used to add flavor and color to a variety of dishes. For those looking for an easy way to grow their own chives, there are a few tips you should know about.
Chives are easy-to-grow onion family members and can even take a little shade. Chives also have pretty flowers in the spring or summer. After a few years, you can divide your chives and make more bunches. To use chives, cut off what you need with scissors. There are very few insect problems, except for an occasional snail.
Growing Chives in Texas
Choose a well-draining soil with plenty of nutrients to ensure your chives have all they need to thrive. Additionally, ensure the area where you choose to plant your chive seeds has adequate sunlight as they prefer full sun exposure. Planting your chive seeds in early spring will also help them get off to the best start possible.
Once you’ve established an ideal location for your chive plants and planted the seeds, remember that regular watering is essential when tending to your crop.
Comfrey
Comfrey is a large-leaved herb that grows to about a yard wide and tall. It is considered a medicinal herb, not culinary. However, do not eat comfrey; it is not safe to take internally. Consult a good herbal book to discover the topical uses of this herb. I think the best service for this herb is as a landscape accent plant. It is an excellent addition to the herb bed, but be sure and give it enough room–three feet minimum.
Growing Comfrey in Texas
To cultivate comfrey, choose a location with full sunlight exposure where the soil drains well. Loosen the soil before planting, as it helps the roots establish quickly. You can either sow seeds or propagate from the root cuttings of existing plants – whichever you prefer. Make sure to keep an adequate distance between each plant so they have enough room for growth – 1 yard should do it! Water regularly during dry periods, but avoid over-watering because this could lead to root rot or disease in your plants.
Culinary Sage
The culinary sage herb is a flavorful, aromatic addition to any garden. This hardy perennial is native to the Mediterranean region and is easy to grow in most climates. The leaves of culinary sage are gray-green and have a distinctive woody aroma. An ideal companion plant for other herbs like rosemary and thyme, it also provides beautiful purple flowers from late spring through summer that attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Culinary Sage is a beautiful large herb with lavender flower spikes. It smells wonderful. You may want to move your sage after a few years; sometimes, if it stays too long in the same place, it dies. Use some of its leaves for stuffing for your Thanksgiving turkey.
Growing Culinary Sage in Texas
This low-maintenance herb does best when planted in well-drained soil with total sun exposure throughout the day. It’s essential to keep the soil consistently moist by watering everyIt’s0 day during dry spells or more frequently if needed, as this plant does not tolerate drought conditions.
Dill
Dill is an herb that brings a lot of flavor to any meal. Its robust and spicy aroma and taste add a unique twist to many dishes. Growing your dill in the garden can be simple and rewarding.
This herb is suitable for making pickles or potato salad, but it is also essential in the butterfly garden as a host for butterfly larvae. If you use it for this purpose, have a few more pot plants to move into place when the caterpillars have eaten all the leaves off the dill.
Growing Culinary Dill in Texas
Dill can be planted in early spring once the soil has warmed up and all danger of frost has passed. It grows best in full-sun locations with well-draining soil. When planting, space the seeds about 6 inches apart for adequate room to grow. Water deeply but infrequently to encourage root growth; too much water can cause root rot or disease. Harvesting dill begins when leaves are 4-5 inches long and should continue throughout the season as needed for use in recipes or other purposes.
Echinacea
Echinacea is a popular garden plant for its beautiful, vibrant flowers and medicinal properties. Also known as Purple Coneflower, this plant has been used for hundreds of years to treat various ailments, from the common cold to skin rashes. Gardeners enjoy growing Echinacea because it is easy to care for and provides long-lasting color from mid-summer until the first frost.
Most people use them strictly for ornamental purposes because they have beautiful pink flowers. The purple coneflower, sometimes called, will reseed readily and give you many new plants.
Echinacea has lovely bloom colors ranging from pinkish purple to orange and also features daisy-like petals that surround a spiny cone center. The flower heads can be snapped off and planted directly into the soil or potting mix, where they will grow roots in just a few weeks and eventually produce more blooms in the garden.
Growing Echinacea in Texas
Echinacea plants prefer these conditions to thrive and produce healthy flowers. Once the location is chosen, you can purchase starter plants or sow seeds directly into the ground in late spring after any danger of frost has passed. When sowing seeds outside, spread them thinly over the prepared surface of the soil bed and cover lightly with one-quarter inch of soil.
Fennel
Fennel is a versatile and easy-to-grow garden plant that adds flavor, texture, and beauty to your garden. It’s an herb, vegetable, and ornamental all rolled into one! Fennel has a long history as a medicinal plant and an edible herb. Its bulbous root, feathery foliage, and sweet licorice flavor make it a highly sought-after addition to any garden.
Fennel is a beautiful herb that comes in either green or the more dramatic bronze Fennel, which is maroon colored. It is a good seasoning for carrots, to which it is related, and a host plant for butterflies. Avoid eating fennel during pregnancy. This herb is so lovely that it can be used in your flower bed.
Fennel has a mild, aromatic flavor that can be used in salads, soups, or stews. It’s not just the edible fronds of this herb — the bulbs, too, can be enjoyed raw or cooked. The entire fennel plant can also be uIt’sfor medicinal purposes such as treating indigestion or reducing water retention.
Growing Fennel in Texas
Fennel is a hardy plant that can tolerate cold temperatures but does best in full sun or part shade with lots of water and well-drained soil. With just a bit of preparation and care, any home gardener can grow their fennel for tasty dishes all year round.
To start growing your fennel, prepare your garden bed with organic compost or other soil amendments like peat moss or vermiculite to create well-draining soil that will help protect the plant roots from rot.
Garlic
Garlic is a beloved vegetable with many uses in the garden. It’s an easy-to-grow perennial that produces bulbs of flavor and nutrition year after year. Whether planted as part of a traditional vegetable plot or tucked among ornamental flowers, garlic adds a delicious and practical touch to any landscape.
Plant in the cooler weather of fall. Use short-neck varieties and fertilize with nitrogen every three weeks. Harvest in early summer.
Growing Garlic in Texas
Garlic is often planted in fall, allowing the roots to establish before winter sets in. Planting in spring will also provide ‘good results if you consider the proper spacing between plants and can manage weeds properly. For the best yield, provide your garlic with six hours of sunlight per day and water regularly during dry periods. After harvest, it’s necessary to store garlic cloves properly, so they remain healthy and retain their flavor until ready for culinary use or replanting next season.
Lavender
Lavender is another excellent herb that is ornamental. It is famous for its aroma but has flower spikes in the summer. Lavender has the exact horticultural requirements as rosemary, and be sure that it has good drainage. The best variety we have found for this area is ‘Provence.’
Lavender is one of the most popular garden plants, and it’s easy to see why. Not only does this lovely flower have a soothing scent, but it also makes for an attractive addition to any garden. Its intense purple color and fragrant blooms make lavender ideal for people looking to add beauty and character to their outdoor space.
Growing Lavender in Texas
For Texas gardeners, lavender is a dream come true. It has low-maintenance needs and can be grown in various climates with minimal effort or skill. Most varieties of lavender don’t require much sun – just some well-drained soil and occasional watering are all that need tomatoes; thanks to its wonderful aroma and calming effect on the mind, lavender can help create a peaceful sanctuary in your backyard or balcony oasis.
Lemon Balm
Lemon Balm is a lesser-known herb that is great for Texas gardens. The lemon balm smells like lemon cough drops and is related to the mint family. Though it does better in full sun, it can take a little afternoon shade.
Lemon balm’s citrusy aroma makes it an ideal candidate for flavoring salads and fish dishes and making tea blends. The plant’s slight lemony taste pairs well with fruits like apples or berries, adding texture and flavor to otherwise bland ingredients. Additionally, because of its antiviral properties, lemon balm can be used medicinally to treat cold sores or other skin irritations.
Growing Lemon Balm in Texas
To get started, select an area that receives at least four hours of direct sunlight daily. Prepare the soil by adding compost or manure and mixing it with the existing soil until blended evenly. Plant your lemon balm seeds about ¼ inch deep into this prepared soil during the spring or early summer when temperatures are warm enough for germination.
Lemon Verbena
Lemon verbena is an herb commonly found in home gardens and is beloved by many for its unique flavor and aroma. This fragrant plant has a long history of adding a citrusy taste to teas, desserts, salads, and even savory dishes.
This herb is a small shrub. Give it about a yard-wide area to grow in. It can take a little bit of shade in the afternoon. The leaves smell heavenly, and they add a lemony flavor to recipes.
Growing Lemon Verbena in Texas
This hardy perennial grows best in warm climates with full sun and well-drained soil. Lemon verbena can reach heights of 6-9 feet and has beautiful, bright green leaves that release the refreshing lemon scent when touched or brushed against. During late spring and early summer, small white flowers will appear on the plant; however, they are not as showy as other garden plants.
Fortunately, lemon verbena is very easy to take care of: it only needs regular watering during periods of drought or hot weather.
Mexican Mint Marigold
Mexican Mint Marigold is an incredibly versatile garden plant that can add color and texture to any garden. It is known by many names, including Mexican tarragon, Texas tarragon, and false tarragon; however, it is not related to the herbs commonly referred to as tarragon. This plant thrives in hot climates with total sun exposure and will bloom with small yellow or orange flowers throughout the summer. It proliferates, making it an excellent choice for those who want their garden beds filled out quickly.
This is an up to three feet tall eighteen-inch broad flowering herb that blooms with small orange flowers in the fall. It is a must for all Texas gardens, whether flower or herb beds.
Growing Mexican Mint Marigold in Texas
Mexican Mint Marigold has a strong aroma, making it ideal for use around patios or decks where its pleasant smell can linger in the air. Its distinctive foliage is striking when planted en masse near borders or pathways. It also attracts beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, which can help pollinate other plants throughout your garden.
Mint
Mint is one of the easiest plants to grow in a garden, and it’s also one of the most sought-after herbs for culinary, medicinal, and even cosmetic uses. Mint can be grown from seed, potted, or planted directly into an outdoor garden. Growing mint outdoors is a great way to enjoy its sweet scent and flavor in your cooking all season long.
Mint can be used as a small shrub and spreads very quickly, so you must watch it, or it will take over. It also comes in several leaf colors and flavors. If you keep it trimmed, it makes an excellent little hedge.
Growing Mint in Texas
Purchase rooted cuttings or small seedlings from your local nursery or gardening center. Choose a planting area with well-draining soil in full sunlight. Be sure to water your mint regularly and fertilize every few weeks using fish emulsion or compost tea for best results. Remember that mint prefers soil with a high pH, so adding lime or dolomite can help balance out the acidity levels of certain soils.
Mullein
Large gray herbs that are biennials. In the first year, they form a beautiful gray rosette about 18 inches across. The following year they send up a Flower stalk that can be up to six feet tall. The blooms will be yellow if you have the common mullein that grows here in Texas. They are not attractive, but they provide a home for baby leaf-footed bugs (often called stink bugs), the tomato’s arch-enemy. This is not as bad as it seems because when you see the babies on the flower stock, just cut it off and take the whole thing to the trash. This makes it a good trap crop for getting rid of this bug.
Growing Mullein in Texas
Although its bright yellow flowers may appear delicate, this hardy plant can easily grow from seed or cuttings in any zone between USDA hardiness zones 3-9.
To successfully grow mullein, choose an area of your garden with full sun and well-draining soil. Plant seeded mulch after the last frost of spring for best results. Water regularly and supplement with fertilizer every few weeks during the growing season for optimum growth. Mulch can also be planted around the base of each stem to help retain moisture and keep weeds away from your plants. Once established, this low-maintenance flower will reward you with beautiful blooms throughout the summertime!
Oregano
Growing oregano in your home garden is a great way to bring the delicious flavor of this herb into your kitchen. The herb is not only easy to grow, but it also adds ornamental value with its fragrant foliage and showy flowers. Oregano can quickly be grown from seed or transplants and will thrive when planted in full sun and well-drained soil.
Oregano is used in Italian cooking and makes a good landscape plant. It comes in several leaf colors and sizes, making it suitable for a knot garden or border. It takes full sun and is fairly drought tolerant, though you must water when the leaves wilt.
Growing Oregano in Texas
The best way to grow oregano is from established plants or cuttings taken from existing plants. You can find oregano plants or cuttings at most garden centers or nurseries, or ask a friend who already grows the herb for a cutting. Once planted in well-draining soil with adequate sunlight, oregano will readily take root and grow quickly.
Parsley
Gardeners can choose from two types of parsley: flat-leaf or curly-leaf. The former has a milder taste and is often used for garnishing plates with its bright green color. Curly-leaf parsley is more aromatic and flavorful, making it ideal for seasoning dishes like sauces or salads. It’s also easier to grow since it requires less care than flat-leaf varieties.
This is another butterfly host plant that can quickly grow in the garden. It is probably better to grow it from transplants since it is so slow to grow from seeds. It is high in vitamin C and is suitable for digestion.
Growing Parsley in Texas
Begin by preparing the soil with compost or aged manure. Loosen up the soil, so it’s light and airy, then sow the seeds directly into the garden bed or potting mix when the sun has warmed up in springtime. For best results, plant several small bunches of seeds spaced 4 inches apart, keeping them moist until they are established. Once sprouts appear, thin them out to one bunch per 4-inch space.
Rosemary
Rosemary is a fragrant, woody herb that can add flavor to many dishes. But it’s not just for cooking; rosemary makes for an attractive and aromatic addition to any garden. This versatile shrub has a unique look and smell that can be used in various ways around the yard.
Rosemary is my favorite herb. It is straightforward to grow and care for. Plant in full sun in a location that gets good drainage and needs moderate watering. This plant should be used where it can be seen. It releases a beautiful fragrance when rubbed. You can trim the upright varieties into shapes, like the slight Christmas tree shape in this photo. It also comes in a trailing variety. Both can be used in cooking. Use some snipped rosemary when baking chicken; the whole house will have a wonderful aroma.
Growing Rosemary in Texas
Growing in full sun or light shade, this hearty perennial needs very little maintenance and will come back year after year. It grows best in Texas when planted in well-draining soil with plenty of compost worked through it and watered regularly during dry periods. For added beauty, prune the plant lightly after flowering to encourage new growth or shape it into topiaries or hedges as desired.
Rue
Rue is an herb used for centuries in medicine, cooking, and as a decorative element in gardens. It has a strong scent and can be found in temperate and tropical climates. The plant is easy to grow from cuttings or seeds, making it an attractive choice for gardeners looking to add a splash of color to their outdoor space.
A pretty herb that is also good as a butterfly host plant. The swallowtail butterfly will lay its eggs on rue if no fennel or parsley is available. It is rumored to repel cats, although I have not seen it work in my herb bed.
Growing Rue in Texas
Planting rue can be done in the fall or early spring when temperatures are milder. Before planting, the soil should be well-drained and amended with organic matter such as compost or manure. Place the seeds in the ground about ¼ inch deep and keep the soil slightly moist until germination occurs, which usually takes two weeks or more, depending on temperature and moisture levels. Once established, rue will require little maintenance other than watering during dry periods to ensure it remains healthy and vibrant all year round.
Salad Burnett
Salad Burnett is a lesser-known herb that should be used more in the landscape. It has pretty fern-like leaves, can be added to salads, and has a slight cucumber-like taste. We like it primarily for its ornamental value, as it is a good substitute for ferns, which have a hard time in our environment.
Salad Burnett is a unique and tasty type of lettuce that adds a delicious crunch to any salad. This leafy vegetable has become popular recently, but it’s not always easy to find in grocery stores. Fortunately, with the proper knowledge and patience, you can quickly grow Salad Burnett yourself at home!
Growing Salad Burnett in Texas
Growing Salad Burnett requires plenty of sun and well-drained soil. The ideal location for growing Salad Burnett is in an area with at least six hours of sunlight daily. When planting your seeds, spread them evenly across the soil and give them about two inches of space between them. Water regularly to keep the soil moist without making it soggy.
Thyme
Thyme is an herb that adds flavor to meals and is easy to grow. It adds a pungent, savory taste to dishes and can be used in many types of cuisine. Growing thyme can be done indoors or outdoors, depending on the climate. Here are some tips for growing thyme successfully.
Since it is low-growing, it makes an excellent ground cover, and it likes afternoon shade to protect it from our summers’ intense sun and heat. Look for the wide varieties of this exciting herb.
Growing Thyme in Texas
When planting thyme outdoors, it should be done during March or April to give the plant time to get established before winter. Plant it in an area with well-draining soil and full sun exposure, ensuring that your thyme has enough heat and light for optimal growth. Watering should be done regularly, but don’t overwater as this could cause root rot. If you live in a colder climate, mulching around the base of the plant can help protect it from frost damage during winter months.