🌾 6. Lovage (Levisticum officinale)
Imagine a plant that tastes like super-concentrated celery with a hint of parsley — that’s lovage. Its tall, bushy form makes it a striking perennial herb for the back of borders.
- Use young leaves in soups and potato dishes.
- Chop stems like celery in savory stocks or broths.
- Dry seeds and use like celery seed in spice blends.
How to grow: Full sun to part shade. Cold-hardy and low-maintenance once established.
🌸 7. Tulsi / Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum)
Highly revered in Ayurvedic medicine, tulsi is a fragrant, slightly spicy basil that’s used more in teas than in pesto. It supports immunity and reduces stress.
- Steep fresh or dried leaves for calming tea.
- Add a sprig to lemonade or fruit water.
- Use in facial steam blends or herbal baths.
How to grow: Treat like regular basil — warm temps, full sun, pinch often for bushier growth.
🪻 8. Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans)
This fuzzy-leaved herb smells just like ripe pineapple and produces stunning red flowers that hummingbirds can’t resist. A sweet-smelling showstopper!
- Infuse in iced tea, lemonade, or sangria.
- Chop into fruit salads or salsas.
- Use flowers as edible garnish on cakes or desserts.
How to grow: Full sun, well-drained soil. Can get large — up to 3–4 feet tall and wide.
🍋 9. Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor)
Don’t let the name fool you — this old-fashioned herb deserves a comeback. Its frilly, fern-like leaves taste mildly like cucumber and are great in summer dishes.
- Add to green salads, sandwiches, and potato salad.
- Mix into herbed butter or cream cheese spreads.
- Float leaves in chilled soup or herb-infused oils.
How to grow: Likes sun to part shade, cool weather, and well-drained soil. May reseed itself.
🍃 10. Epazote (Dysphania ambrosioides)
A staple in traditional Mexican cooking, epazote has a strong, earthy scent and flavor — and a special purpose. It helps reduce the digestive effects of beans (if you know, you know).
- Add a sprig to beans, soups, or quesadillas while cooking.
- Use sparingly — flavor is potent!
- Also used in natural cleaning sprays for its pungent aroma.
How to grow: Fast-growing annual that prefers hot, dry conditions. Can become invasive — best in containers.
🌼 11. Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Though often grown as a flower, calendula is technically an herb — and one with powerful skin-soothing properties. The petals are edible and can also be infused into oil.
- Use petals in salads or teas (peppery but mild).
- Infuse into olive oil for salves, balms, or lotion bars.
- Dry petals and add to bath salts or scrubs.
How to grow: Easy from seed, blooms heavily, and self-sows in friendly conditions. Loves sun.
🌿 Final Thoughts: Spice Up Your Herb Game
Herbs don’t have to be boring. These unusual varieties bring fragrance, color, function, and fun to your growing space — and they’re all surprisingly easy to use in everyday life.
You don’t have to plant them all. Try adding one or two to your existing garden, or keep a little pot near your kitchen window. You might just find a new favorite herb you never knew you needed.
🌱 Want More Unique Garden Ideas?
Subscribe to the Green & Ripe newsletter for clever planting ideas, fresh recipes, and seasonal garden inspiration delivered weekly.
