Culinary Herbs and Spices
This list of Culinary Herbs and Spices is not comprehensive but covers the most frequently used herbs and spices in Europe.
Culinary herbs and spices
| Herbs and Spices - common name |
Botanical name |
Part of the plant[1] - botanical definition |
Climate Zone[2] |
Herb or Spice |
| Aniseed
|
Pimpinella anisum |
Fruit[1a] |
TE
|
Spice |
| Asafoetida |
Ferula asafoetida |
Rhizome |
TE, SU |
Spice |
| Basil |
Ocimum basilicum |
1b
|
TE
|
Herb |
| Borage Leaf |
Borago officinalis |
Leaf |
TE |
Herb |
| Caraway
|
Carum carvi
|
Fruit[1a]
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Cardamom seeds
|
Elettaria cardamomum
|
Seed |
TR
|
Spice
|
|
Cardamom, whole pods
|
Elettaria cardamomum
|
Fruit
|
TR
|
Spice |
|
Celery leaves
|
Apium graveolens dulce
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Celery seed
|
Apium graveolens
|
Seed
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Chervil
|
Anthriscus cerefolium
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Chillies
|
Capsicum frutescens or annuum
|
Fruit
|
TR
|
Spice
|
|
Chives
|
Allium schoenoprasum
|
Leaf
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Cinnamon
(Cassia) |
Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Sri Lanka)
Cinnamomum burmanii (Indonesia)
Cinnamomum loureirii (Vietnam)
Cinnamomum aromaticum (China)
|
Inner bark
|
TR
|
Spice |
|
Cloves
|
Syzygium aromaticum
|
Flower bud
|
TR
|
Spice
|
|
Coriander leaves
|
Coriandrum sativum
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Coriander seed
|
Coriandrum sativum
|
Fruit[1a]
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Cumin seed
|
Cuminum cyminum
|
Fruit[1a]
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Dill seed
|
Anethum graveolens
|
Fruit[1a]
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Dill tops
|
Anethum graveolens
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Fennel seed
|
Foeniculum vulgare
|
Fruit[1a]
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Fenugreek
|
Trigonella foenum-graecum
|
Seed
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Galanga
|
Alpinia galanga
|
Rhizome
|
TR
|
Spice
|
|
Garlic
|
Allium sativum
|
Bulb
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Ginger
|
Zingiber officinale
|
Rhizome
|
TR
|
Spice
|
| Grains of Paradise |
Aframomum melegueta |
Seed |
TR |
Spice |
|
Juniper berries
|
Juniperus communis
|
Fruit
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Kaffir Lime Leaves
|
Citrus hystrix
|
Leaf
|
TR
|
Spice
|
|
Laurel (Bay) leaves
|
Laurus nobilis
|
Leaf
|
TE
|
Spice
|
| Lavender Flower |
Lavandula officinalis |
Flower |
TE |
Herb |
| Lavender Leaf |
Lavandula officinalis |
Leaf |
TE |
Herb |
|
Lemon Grass
|
Cymbopogon citratus
|
Leaf
|
TR
|
Herb
|
| Lovage |
Levisticum officinalis |
Leaf |
TE |
Herb |
| Lovage |
Levisticum officinalis |
Rhizome |
TE |
Herb |
|
Mace
|
Myristica fragrans
|
Aril
|
TR
|
Spice
|
|
Marjoram
|
Majorana hortensis, Syn. Origanum majorana
|
1b |
TE
|
Herb
|
| Mexican oregano |
Lippia graveolens |
Leaf |
TE |
Spice |
|
Mustard seed
|
Sinapis alba,
Brassica nigra,
Brassica juncea
|
Seed
|
TE
|
Spice
|
| Nigella seeds (kalonji seed or improperly "black onion seeds" or
"black cumin seeds" or "black caraway seeds" |
Nigella sativa |
Seed |
TR, SU |
Spice |
|
Nutmeg
|
Myristica fragrans
|
Seed
|
TR
|
Spice
|
|
Onion
and shallot, dried |
Allium cepa
& allium ceavar. aggregatum |
Bulb
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Oregano
|
Origanum vulgare
|
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Paprika
|
Capsicum annuum or frutescens
|
Fruit
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Parsley
|
Petroselinum crispum
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Pepper, green dried[3]
|
Piper nigrum
|
Fruit
|
TR
|
Spice
|
|
Pepper, black
|
Piper nigrum
|
Fruit
|
TR
|
Spice
|
| Pepper, cubeb, cubebs, java |
Piper cubeba L. |
Fruit |
TR |
Spice |
| Pepper, pink |
Schinus terebinthifolius
Schinus molle
|
Fruit |
TR |
Spice |
|
Pepper, white
|
Piper nigrum
|
Seed[1a]
|
TR
|
Spice
|
| Peppermint |
Mentha piperita |
Leaf |
TE |
Herb |
|
Pimento
|
Pimenta dioica
|
Fruit
|
TR
|
Spice
|
| Pimento (Allspice) |
Pimenta dioca |
Fruit |
TR |
Spice |
|
Rosemary
|
Rosmarinus officinalis
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Saffron
|
Crocus sativus
|
Parts of pistil
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Sage
|
Salvia officinalis
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Savory
|
Satureja hortensis
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
| Summer Savory, Winter Savory |
Satureja hortensis |
1b |
TE |
Herb |
|
Sichuan pepper
|
Zanthoxylum piperitum
|
Fruit
|
TE
|
Spice
|
|
Spearmint
|
Mentha spicata
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Star anise
|
Illicium verum
|
Fruit
|
TE
|
Spice
|
| Tarragon |
Arteminsia dracuncuklus |
2 |
TE |
Herb |
|
Thyme
|
Thymus vulgaris, thymus zygis, thymus serpyllum
|
1b
|
TE
|
Herb
|
|
Turmeric
|
Curcuma longa
|
Rhizome
|
TR
|
Spice
|
|
Vanilla
|
Vanilla planifolia,
Vanilla tahitensis
|
Fruit
|
TR
|
Spice
|
Notes
[1a] The traditional names and definitions which have developed over time
sometimes deviate from modern botanical definitions; for example aniseed and
other
seeds are botanically fruits, and white pepper - which is sometimes referred to
as
a fruit, is actually a seed.
[1b] The term 'Herbs', usually refers to the leaves or the whole, soft part of
the plant.
[2] Spices may be classified in various ways, of which the most used are the
Part of the Plant from which they derived or the Climate Zone where they are
grown.
TR = tropical zone
TE = temperate zone
SU - subtropical
[3] Pepper, green and red, and capers in brine are generally defined as
condiments.
Last reviewed: 23 Oct 2013