Understanding Herbaceous Plants: Characteristics, Types, and Common Examples

Herbaceous plants, commonly called herbs, are a diverse group of plants distinguished by their soft, flexible, and tender stems and leaves. Unlike trees and shrubs, herbs lack hard, woody stems. They can be seasonal—annual, biennial, or perennial—and their above-ground growth typically dies back at the end of the growing season after flowering and producing seeds. New plants emerge from the remaining living tissues, such as roots, bulbs, rhizomes, corms, tubers, or stolons, continuing the cycle.

Key Differences from Woody Plants

In contrast to trees, shrubs, and vines, herbaceous plants can have stems that grow below ground. Their non-woody structure makes them more flexible and often shorter-lived above ground, though many persist underground year-round.

Common Examples of Herbaceous Plants

Familiar herbs include carrots, garlic, alfalfa, mint, cannabis, sage, thyme, parsley, colic weed, Sweet William, eggplant, basil, asparagus, chicory, potato, okra, rhubarb, leek, spinach, broccoli, parsnip, sweet potato, and many others. These plants are valued for culinary, medicinal, and ornamental uses.

Alphabetical Herb Reference List

Below is a categorized list of herbaceous plants with their scientific and common names, useful for gardeners and enthusiasts:

A

Scientific Name	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

Scientific Name	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	Meadowsweet
Foeniculum vulgare	Fennel

G-J

Scientific Name	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

Scientific Name	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

Scientific Name	Common Names
Origanum majorana	Marjoram
Oxalis acetosella	Common wood sorrel
Oxalis oregana	Red wood sorrel
Oxalis tetraphylla	Four-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

Scientific Name	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	Flycatcher
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 auriculata	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

Many people maintain herb gardens for the therapeutic benefits of herbal medicine and the pleasure of using fresh herbs and spices in cooking. A basic knowledge of these plants enhances both gardening success and culinary creativity.