Looking for Fresh Tastes or Exotic Flavors? Try Growing Unusual Culinary Herbs
Do parsley, rosemary, and thyme leave you yawning? Have basil and oregano lost their allure? Maybe it’s time to try growing something different in your herb garden. There are thousands of unusual culinary herbs out there, just waiting for a place in your garden and kitchen.
“People are used to a limited amount of culinary herbs, because they only know the old standards,” says V. J. Billings, owner of Mountain Valley Growers Inc. in Squaw Valley, a mail-order company that offers 140 culinary herbs, many of them little known.
“Few people have heard of culantro, but those who find out about it are delighted,” says Billings. “This herb has the exact same taste as cilantro, but it is much easier to grow and doesn’t bolt, like cilantro tends to do. It also produces edible leaves most of the year, whereas cilantro only tolerates cooler weather.”
Another unusual herb found in a variety of Mexican and Asian dishes is lemongrass, which many people don’t realize is a snap to grow in the garden, says Malee Hsu, owner of Upland Nursery in Orange. She carries a variety of unusual herbs, many of them in spring, but she always has lemongrass on hand.
“Lemongrass does really well in our climate, and it is very easy to grow and propagate,” she says.
Unusual Herbs to Grow in Your Garden
Stevia is another little-known herb that thrives in Southern California. “They call Stevia the sweet herb of Paraguay, because its leaves are 100 times sweeter than sugar yet it is said to have no detrimental effects for diabetics,” says Billings. “Everyone is always amazed when they eat a leaf because it tastes just like pure sugar.”
Although many unusual herbs aren’t well-known, they’re beginning to catch on. “There has been an incredible explosion in herb interest,” says Billings. “When we opened our doors at the nursery 15 years ago, we had just seven plants on our list, and we didn’t think people would buy them. One of them was Italian parsley.”
More people are becoming aware of exotic herbs, agrees Michael Jordan, a professional chef, who is now general manager at Pinot Provence in Costa Mesa, a restaurant that uses a lot of fresh herbs in their cooking and places an herbal bouquet–instead of flowers–on every table.
“Supermarket shelves are beginning to fill with uncommon, exotic herbs that you wouldn’t have seen 10 years ago,” says Jordan, who is also an avid gardener.
Growing Unusual Herbs
Now is a great time to plant culinary herbs. They can set down roots before winter, then take off in spring. Many culinary herbs are warm-weather plants, but most don’t go dormant in winter, and some provide usable foliage in the cold months.
Tips for Growing Culinary Herbs
- Separate your culinary herbs: “In order to maintain their vigor, culinary herbs should be cut frequently,” says Billings. “They won’t get pruned enough if they’re out in the landscape or mixed in with annual vegetable plants.”
- Select a sunny or partially shady spot: Ensure excellent drainage. If your soil is hard clay, amend with at least 50% organic matter, such as homemade or bagged compost.
- Use containers: If space is limited or your soil doesn’t drain well, container growing is a great option.
- Water regularly: Water herbs daily until they are established and show new growth. Keep the soil moist but not soggy.
- Fertilize cautiously: Only fertilize with a slow-release organic fertilizer when you see a problem and the soil pH is between 6.5 and 7.00.
Unusual Culinary Herbs to Try
There are thousands of little-known culinary herbs. Below are a few easy-to-grow options that will add interest to your garden and flavor to your cooking. Many are available at specialty nurseries or through mail-order, and are suitable for container growing:
- Culantro (Eryngium foetidium): Tastes like cilantro but is easier to grow. It produces edible leaves most of the year and doesn’t bolt like cilantro.
- Garlic Chives (Allium tuberosum): Flat-blade leaves with garlic overtones. In summer, they flower with eye-catching white or mauve flowers.
- Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus): Popular in Mexican and Asian dishes, it’s easy to grow and adds a subtle flavor to meats and tea.
- Lovage (Levisticum officinale): Tastes like celery and adds flavor to soups, stews, and salads.
- Greek Sage (Salvia fruticosa): Stronger flavor than regular sage. Use fresh or dried for stuffing, meat sauces, and poultry.
- Pink Savory (Satureja thymbra): Small shrub with sweetly flavored leaves that work well in eggs, pastry, and tea.
- Winter Savory (Satureja montana): Hot flavor, perfect for spaghetti sauce and strong meats. Keep it trimmed for fresh growth.
- Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana): Sweet herb whose leaves are 100 times sweeter than sugar. Great for diabetics and can be used in teas and as a sugar substitute.
- Caraway Thyme (Thymus herba-barona): Great for ground cover with a caraway flavor. Excellent in breads and meat dishes.
- Conehead Thyme (Coriothymus capitatum): Low-growing with a spicy jalapeño flavor. Perfect for stir-fries and breads.
Using Fresh Herbs in Cooking
What to do with all those fresh herbs from your garden? Florent Marneau, executive chef of Pinot Provence in Costa Mesa, shares these tips:
- Use fresh herbs as a base for salads with vegetables like gourmet lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes.
- Marinate meats and vegetables with olive oil, garlic, salt, cracked pepper, and chopped herbs.
- Grill meat and vegetables over coals covered with herb leaves for subtle flavor.
- Blend fresh herbs into soup right before serving.
- Mix herbs into desserts like fruit salad, sorbet, or ice cream. Top cakes and pies with fresh herbs and flowers.
- Make herbal oils and vinegars, or add herbs to breads for extra flavor.
For more information, reach Mountain Valley Growers at (209) 338-2775 or visit their website at Mountain Valley Growers for a free catalog.
