Herb (plant)

“ When of three or more seasons, the plant is perennial. Examples of annuals are pigweed, bean, pea, garden sunflower; of biennials, evening primrose, mullein, teasel; of perennials, dock, most meadow grasses, cat-tail, and all shrubs and trees.
Duration of the Plant Body.—Plant structures which are more or less soft and which die at the close of the season are said to be herbaceous, in contradistinction to being ligneous or woody. A plant which is herbaceous to the ground is called an herb; but an herb may have a woody or perennial root, in which case it is called an herbaceous perennial. ”

“ Five hundred Points of Good Husbandry.—Tusser.
The majority of herbs are not exacting in their requirements, but a few foreigners thrive the better for a little protection as a start. This is the opinion of a successful gardener on the Herb-Border in an ordinary kitchen-garden: “As to soil and situation, I used to devote a border entirely to Herbs, under a privet hedge, facing north-west, with a rough marly bottom. I had a plant [146] of most varieties I could get hold of, both Culinary and Medicinal.” ”

“ The flower-stem is more than 2 ft. high, and very much branched; the branches commencing at from 4 ins. to 8 ins. above the ground, and forming a large and exceedingly handsome panicle of flowers of a light-blue colour, tinged with the greyish hue of the numerous membranous bracts and thin dry calyces. A well-drained, sandy soil, in an open sunny position, is the best for this plant, which, however, grows in any ordinary garden-soil, and is admirably adapted for naturalisation or grouping with the acanthuses, tritomas, etc., the effect of the inflorescence being very remarkable. ”

“ Proceeding to the detailed classification of Herbs, he divides them into Imperfect "which either do want or seem to want some of the more essential parts of Plants, viz. either Root, Stalk, or Seed," the Cryptogamia of Linnaeus; and Perfect "having all the essential parts belonging to a Plant." The Perfect Herbs are arranged in three main groups according to (1) their leaves, (2) their flowers, (3) their seed-vessel, each group being subdivided in various ways. ”

“ A charming woodland plant, its airy flower cluster, which has much the effect of an Alum-root, in beautiful contrast to the crisp, evergreen foliage. The large leaves are all from the root, with wiry, purplish leaf-stalks and beautifully-shaped leaflets, each an inch or more broad, pale on the under side, the older leaves dark, rich green, leathery and very glossy and the younger ones bright apple-green and thinner in texture. ”

“ Opposite each other, making a cross, are four leaves, like a carnation leaf at first, but broadening and lengthening till it is two inches at the base and eight or ten long. Rising out of the axil of each leaf are buds, of graduated size and development up to the open [Pg 55] blossom. That one stem, therefore, is prepared to open fresh flowers every day for a long time.
The plant is exquisitely beautiful, for the whole thing, from the stem to the flower petals, is of a delicate, light pea-green. The blossom opens like a star, with four stamens and four petals. ”

“ A tall, climbing shrub, with small, ovate-lanceolate leaves, and clusters of curious purplish-brown, green-tipped flowers produced in summer. The long, incurved appendages, in the shape of a crown, and placed so as to protect the style and anthers, render the flowers of peculiar interest. Though often used as a greenhouse plant, it is perfectly hardy, and makes a neat, deciduous wall or arch covering, thriving to perfection in rich soil that is well-drained. It is readily propagated from cuttings. ”

“ Growing in favourable situations to fully a yard in height, this distinct evergreen shrub, which is fairly common in cultivation, is particularly valuable, as it thrives well under the shade and drip of trees. It is a rambling plant, with ovate-cordate, almost sessile leaves, and bears tiny white flowers that are succeeded by purplish fruit. ”

“ It is a capital wind screen, and may be used to advantage on the exposed side of rockwork or flower beds, or as an ornamental shrub by the pond or lake side. The small dark-green leaves, the tiny white flowers, and great abundance of deep purple berries in winter, are all points that are in favour of the shrub for extended cultivation. The pretty, pinky shoots, too, help to make the plant attractive even in mid-winter. Propagation by layers or seed is readily brought about. To grow this shrub to perfection, peaty soil or decayed vegetable matter will be found most suitable. ”

“ We cannot, without transgressing the allotted limits of our letter-press, give a minute description of the plant figured; suffice it to say, that it is an ever-green shrub, growing to the height of from four to six or more feet, that its leaves on the old wood feel very harsh or rigid to the touch, and when bruised give forth an agreeable fragrance, the flowers grow in spikes on the tops of the branches, and owe their beauty wholly to the brilliant colour of the filaments. ”

“ The mountain thistles are beautiful beyond compare. The delicate purple blossoms are borne on slender stems, the dainty green leaves touched with white, drooping gracefully, give the plant more the appearance of an orchid than of the common weed it is. ”

“ It loves moisture rather than rich elemental food. In clay it finds the best constituents of its development—moisture, silex, lime and alumnia. So we say to those who love this queenly flower, if you would see the queen in all her glory, plant in a comparatively heavy soil, no manure, and reduce the stalks to one for each tuber, set the stakes firmly, to keep the stalks from swaying, and if the season is dry, give the bulbs a soaking with water every evening during the drought. ”

“ The commonest kind of leaf, which therefore may be taken as the type or pattern, is an expanded green body, by means of which the plant exposes to the air and light the matters which it imbibes, exhales certain portions, and assimilates the residue into vegetable matter for its nourishment and growth.
119. But the fact is already familiar (10-30) that leaves occur under other forms and serve for other uses,—for the storage of food already assimilated, as in thickened seed-leaves and bulb-scales; for covering, as in bud-scales ”

“ I was happy to learn that the produce of the establishment was sufficient to meet all the expences, attending its cultivation. In the pleasure ground, or rather nursery, a great quantity of the more common sorts of shrubs is cultivated. I observed a fine tree covered with fruit of the Prunus cirrhifera, an excellent plum, quite round, and of a purple colour. I also saw a fine specimen of the Tilia alba, that was planted by Duke Charles the Fraxinus juglandifolia, was a particularly noble plant, as well as the Quercus macrocarpa, and various other species of this genus. ”

“ The leaves of the root are large and stalked, oval, lance-shaped, and wrinkled; those of the stems are stalkless, and so attached as to give the stems a winged appearance near their junction.
The plant will thrive in any kind of soil, but it likes shade and moisture, and a specimen grown under such conditions will be found to be much superior in every way. A position under fruit trees suits it admirably, and for such thoughtful planting it will well repay the lover of flowers for vase decoration. ”

“ The large leaves have their veins red, which distinguishes it from any other species. It has a large and deep-feeding root, black on the outside, and yellow within. The flowers are very small, of a yellowish white. It comes up somewhat later than the common kinds, and is not by any means common, though it may be found in botanic gardens and nurseries where collections of herbaceous plants are formed. It may, like all the species, be increased by division, but a young plant should not be disturbed for several years after being planted. ”

“ The leaves are variously lobed or deeply toothed, large and handsome, and the flower heads of good size, flat, and composed of a number of small flowers, the outer only being sterile. Individually the flowers are dull and inconspicuous, but being produced in amazing quantity, they have a very pleasing and effective appearance. The great bunches of clear pinky berries render a fair-sized plant particularly handsome and attractive, and for which alone, as also beauty of autumnal foliage, the shrub is well worthy of extensive culture. ”

“ The Common Cress of the garden is a hardy annual, and a native of Persia. When in flower, the stem of the plant is smooth and branching, and about fifteen inches high. The leaves are variously divided, and are plain or curled, according to the variety; the flowers are white, very small, and produced in groups, or bunches; seeds small, oblong, rounded, of a reddish-brown color, and of a peculiar, pungent odor,—about fourteen thousand are contained in an ounce, and they retain their germinative properties five years. ”

“ Anise, balm, basil, borage, caraway, catnip, coriander, dill, fennel, horehound, hop, hyssop, lavender, pot marigold, sweet and pot marjoram, parsley, pennyroyal, rosemary, rue, sage, savoury, tansy, sorrel, thyme, and wormwood. It would be of little use to plant all of these, even to see what the plants were like. I would suggest your trying lavender, sage, savoury, and dill.
"Lavender seed is very slow to germinate, so sow the seed plentifully in early spring. The soil should have a dusting of lime over it as lavender plants enjoy lime. The flower is the part you wish. ”

“ In autumn the leaves change to a uniform reddish tinge, which has a fine effect, contrasted with the numerous pendent purple berries. This is a very hardy plant, requiring hardly any attention and growing in almost any kind of soil. Multiplied either by seed or by division. It forms a very free and vigorous mass of vegetation, and, though perhaps scarcely refined enough in leaf to justify its being recommended for flower-garden use, no plant is more worthy of a place wherever a rich herbaceous vegetation is desired ”

“ A striking plant, though dull in color, from one to one and a half feet tall, with a rough, rather slanting stem, dull green, roughish, rather leathery leaves, and clusters of slightly sweet-scented, queer-looking flowers, each over half an inch across, with greenish-yellow petals, the hoods white inside and maroon outside, their tips curved in, a green stigma and brown anthers. ”

“ The first and most important classes, those which comprise all or nearly all [3] plants, are tree, shrub, under-shrub, herb.
A tree is a thing which springs from the root with a single stem, having knots and several branches, and it cannot easily be uprooted; for instance, olive fig vine. [4] A shrub is a thing which rises from the root with many branches; for instance, bramble Christ's thorn. An under-shrub is a thing which rises from the root with many stems as well as many branches ”

“ When well grown the leaves are often more than a yard long, and present a vivid and most striking coloration. Their midribs are 4 ins. or more across, and vary from a dark deep waxy orange to vivid polished crimson. The splendid hue of the lower part of the leaf-stalk flows on towards the point, and spreads in smaller streams through the main veins and ramifications of the great soft blade of the leaf, which is often 1 ft. and even 15 ins. in diameter, if the plant be in rich ground. The under sides of the leaves are most richly coloured, and the habit such that these sides are well seen. ”

“ In this country it is seldom seen more than 10 ft. high. The stem is tree-like, simple or divided at the top, and often, when old, becoming{127} much branched, each branch terminated by a crowded head of lanceolate-linear entire leaves of a glaucous green colour. The flowers form a large terminal panicle, and are individually small and of a greenish-white colour. This plant is more graceful and effective when in a young state, in which it usually occurs in our gardens, than when old and branched. ”

“ A very handsome erect shrub, which is extensively grown in tropical gardens. In this country it attains a height of about two feet, and is easily raised from seed in a warm greenhouse or conservatory, where it proves to be a really beautiful and striking plant. ”

“ The lobes, exhausted of their farinaceous matter, gradually dry, and fall off of themselves in a few weeks, when the plant has no further need of their assistance.—Certain herbs which grow on the mountains are of a very peculiar nature: their duration being very short, it often happens that the seed has not time to ripen; and, that the species may not be lost, the bud which contains the germ is formed upon the top of the plant, puts forth leaves, falls, and takes root. ”

“ The root is somewhat greater and growing rather side-ways than down deep in the ground, shooting forth sundry heads, which taste sharp, biting on the tongue, and is the hottest and sharpest part of the plant, and the seed next unto it being somewhat blackish on the outside, and smelling well. ”

“ It is from three inches to a foot high, the branches crowded with very small, stiff, dull green leaves, and the flowers are about an inch across, rather pretty but not conspicuous, with a yellow center and four or five, broad, cream-white rays, often tinged with dull pink. This plant grows on the plains and is a "soil-indicator," as it flourishes on the poorest, stoniest, and most arid land. ”