What are herbaceous plants? What are the distinguishing characteristics of herbs that set them apart from trees and shrubs? Let's find out...

Usually referred to as herbs in common parlance, herbaceous plants are plants that are typically characterized as having soft, flexible, tender stems and leaves which may or may not bear flowers. Herbs can be seasonal (annual, biennial) as well as perennial. The leaves and stems of herbs have a tendency to die out by the time the flourishing period or season comes to a conclusion. Herbs lack hard, woody stems and once they have flowered and produced seeds, they die completely. New herbs grow from these deeds in the next season and thus the cycle continues. The new plants that grow when the older ones die out extract nutrition from the remaining living tissues of the previous plant that may be present above or below the ground in any of the following forms - roots, caudex, bulbs, rhizomes, corms, tubers or stolons.

In contrast with other woody botanical categories such as trees, shrubs and vines, herbs can have stems below the ground as well. Common examples of herbs include carrots, garlic, alfalfa, mint, cannabis, sage, thyme, parsley, colic weed, Sweet William, eggplant, basil, asparagus, chicory, potato, okra, rhubarb, leek, spinach, hog nut, broccoli, parsnip, common ragwort, sweet potato, etc.

Herbaceous Plants List
The following are alphabetically sorted lists of some examples of herbs as they are scientifically known, complete with the common names that are assigned to them by gardeners and herb enthusiasts all over the world.
A
Herbs' Scientific Names Herbs' Common Names Abelmoschus manihot Hibiscus manihot, Sunset hibiscus, Sunset muskmallow, Aibika Abelmoschus moschatus Musk mallow Abronia Sand verbena Abronia umbellata Beach sand verbena Acaena montana Alpine Burr Acaena novae-zelandiae Bidgee-widgee, biddy biddy Acanthus montanus Mountain thistle Achillea Yarrow, Milfoil Achimenes Hot water plant Acinos alpinus Alpine calamint Aciphylla colensoi Colenso's spaniard Aciphylla horrida Horrid spaniard Aconitum lycoctonum Wolfsbane Acorus gramineus Japanese rush, Dwarf's sedge Actaea rubra Snakeberry, Red cohosh Actinotus helianthi Flannel flower Adenophora liliifolia Lilyleaf ladybells Adonis annua Pheasant's eye Agapanthus africanus African lily, Lily of the Nile Agapanthus inapertus Drooping agapanthus, Drakensberg agapanthus Agastache aurantiaca Orange hummingbird mint Agastache cana Mosquito plant, Hummingbird plant Agastache foeniculum Giant hyssop Agastache mexicana Mexican hyssop Agastache rugosa Korean mint, Wrinkled giant hyssop Aglaonema crispum Painted drop tongue Agrimonia eupatoria Hemp agrimony Ajuga genevensis Blue bugle Alcea ficifolia Antwerp hollyhock Alchemilla mollis Lady's mantle Alkanna tinctoria Dyer's bugloss Althaea officinalis Common marsh mallow Anthemis tinctoria Yellow chamomile, Golden Marguerite Aphelandra squarrosa Zebra plant Artemisia absinthium Absinthe wormwood, Common wormwood Artemisia vulgaris Mugwort Asclepias physocarpus Swan plant, Balloon cotton bush, Tinder plant Asparagus racemosus Shatavari
B-F
Herbs' Scientific Names Herbs' Common Names Brassica oleracea Brussels Sprout Browallia speciosa Amethyst flower, Bush violet Bryonia alba Devil's turnip, English mandrake, Kudzu of the Northwest Calendula officinalis English/Pot marigold Cannabis Cannabis, Hemp, Marijuana Centella asiatica Asiatic penny wort Chrysanthemum pacificum Pacific chrysanthemum Costus lucanusianus Maboso (Kikongo) Cucumis melo Muskmelon, Cantaloupe Echinacea tennesseensis Tennessee purple coneflower Euphorbia serrata Sawtooth spurge Filipendula rubra Queen of the prairie Filipendula ulmaria Meadowseet Foeniculum vulgare Fennel
G-J
Herbs' Scientific Names Herbs' Common Names Gerbera hybrida Gerber daisy Glaucium Horned/ Sea poppy Glycine max Soya bean, Soybean Glycyrrhiza glabra Licorice Gomphrena haageana Globe amaranth Grindelia camporum Great Valley gumweed Gunnera manicata Giant Rhubarb Gynura aurantiaca Royal velvet plant Gypsophila paniculata Baby's breath Hesperantha coccinea Crimson flag Hydrangea quercifolia Oakleaf hydrangea Hylotelephium spectabile Ice plant Hylotelephium telephium Orpine, Live forever plant Impatiens sodenii Oliver's impatiens Iresine Blood leaf Jamesbrittenia grandiflora Purple morning glory
L-N
Herbs' Scientific Names Herbs' Common Names Lamprocapnos Bleeding heart plant Lotus corniculatus Birdfoot Deervetch, eggs and bacon, butter and eggs Lupinus albus White lupin Lupinus diffusus Spreading lupine Lupinus nanus Dwarf lupine, Field lupine Lupinus perennis Old Maid's bonnet, Indian beet Maianthemum stellatum Star flowered lily of the valley Meconopsis betonicifolia Himalayan blue poppy Mirabilis jalapa Four O'Clock Monarda didyma Horse mint, Oswego tea Nertera granadensis Coral bead plant Nierembergia rivularis White cup Nigella damascena Love-in-a-Mist
O-R
Herbs' Scientific Names Herbs' Common Names Origanum majorana Marjoram Oxalis acetosella Common wood sorrel Oxalis oregana Red wood sorrel Oxalis tetraphylla Fouer-leaved pink sorrel Papaver alpinum Alpine poppy Papaver rhoeas Red poppy, Field poppy Platycodon grandiflorus Chinese bell flower, Common balloon flower Raphanus sativus Radish Rheum rhabarbarum Rhubarb Romneya Tree poppy
S-Z
Herbs' Scientific Names Herbs' Common Names Salpiglossis sinuata Painted tongue Salvia blepharophylla Eyelash-leaved sage Salvia dorisiana Peach sage Salvia lavandulifolia Spanish sage Sambucus ebulus Danewort, Dwarf elder Sanguisorba minor Salad burnet Sanguisorba officinalis Burnet bloodwort Sanvitalia procumbens Creeping zinnia Saponaria officinalis Soapwort Sarracenia alata Flycathcher Sarracenia leucophylla White trumpet Saururus cernuus Lizard's tail Saxifraga cochlearis Snail saxifrage Scabiosa atropurpurea Mournful widow, Egyptian rose, Sweet scabious Schoenoplectus lacustris Bulrush Scrophularia auriculat Water betony/figwort Sesamum indicum Sesame Sidalcea malviflora Checkerbloom Silene dioica Red campion Silphium terebinthinaceum Prairie dock Solanum ellipticum Wild gooseberry Sphaeralcea coccinea Prairie mallow Stellaria holostea Greater stitchwort, Easter bell Stokesia laevis Stokes aster Succisa pratensis Devil's bit scabious Syncarpha vestita Cape everlasting Tacca integrifolia Bat plant Tagetes patula French marigold Tanacetum balsamita Costmary Tanacetum coccineum Pyrethrum Tanacetum niveum Silver tansy Taraxacum officinale Dandelion Tellima grandiflora Fringecups Tetragonia tetragonioides Warrigal greens
Those were some common as well as exotic herbaceous plants. Many people like to maintain herb gardens of their own owing to the therapeutic efficacy of herbal medicine and herbal remedies. Also, with the growing popularity of exotic and fusion cooking, many people prefer using herbs and spices fresh from the garden. For this purpose, a basic knowledge of herbs and spices proves helpful.