• Provides detailed profiles of 92 plants ranging

Florida’s Best Herbs and Spices

from unusual tropical spices, to temperate herbs,
to native species.

• Covers plants that will succeed in every region

of the state. Includes range maps for each
species.

• Offers detailed information regarding

cultivation, harvest, and use.

• Shows how to grow popular northern herbs in

south Florida.

• Focuses on plants with culinary use, but also

includes a broad assortment of scent plants.

• Contains 184 illustrations and almost 200

photographs.

• Describes growth habits, landscape uses, and

flowering characteristics for adding interest and
color to the garden.

Charles Boning is a naturalist,

illustrator, attorney, and
author. He has resided in
north, central, and south
Florida and is familiar with
gardening in each region.
Within his own garden he has
cultivated and tested many of
the species profiled in these
pages. He is also the author
of the popular Florida’s Best
Fruiting Plants.
Boning

$19.95

Pineapple Press, Inc.

Sarasota, Florida
www.pineapplepress.com

Cover art and back cover photos by the author

Author photo by Susan Boning
 Florida’s Best Herbs and Spices
Native and Exotic Plants Grown for Scent and Flavor

Charles R. Boning
Illustrated and Photographed by the Author

Pineapple Press, Inc.

Sarasota, Florida
Copyright © 2010 by Charles R. Boning

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publisher.

Inquiries should be addressed to:

Pineapple Press, Inc.

P.O. Box 3889
Sarasota, Florida 34230

www.pineapplepress.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Boning, Charles R.
Florida’s best herbs and spices : native and exotic plants grown for scent and flavor / Charles R. Boning ; illustrated and
photographed by the author. -- 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-56164-453-7 (pb : alk. paper)
1. Herbs--Florida. 2. Spices--Florida. I. Title.
SB351.H5B634 2010
635’.709759--dc22
2009047809

First Edition
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Design by Charles R. Boning and Jennifer Borresen

Printed in China

 Contents
Preface 4
Introduction 4
History of Herbs and Spices 5
Scope, Limitations, and Cautions 6
Features of the Plant Profiles 7
Classification of Herbs and Spices 8

I THE BASICS OF GROWING

HERBS AND SPICES IN FLORIDA 9
Getting Started 9
Propagating Herbs and Spices 11
Florida Growing Conditions 11
Maintaining the Garden 13
Harvest and Storage 18
Geographic Origin of Herbs and Spices 20

II PLANT PROFILES 21
Allspice 22 Ginger 96 Sassafras 168
Anise 24 Goldenrod 98 Savory 170
Annatto 26 Horseradish 100 Sea Rocket 172
Basil 28 Jamaican Mint 102 Sesame 174
Bay Laurel 30 Kaffir Lime 104 Sorrel 176
Bay Rum 32 Lavender 106 Spicebush 178
Bee Balm 34 Lemon 108 Star Anise 180
Bilimbi 36 Lemon Balm 110 Stevia 182
Black Pepper 38 Lemon Grass 112 Sugarcane 184
Borage 40 Lemon Verbena 114 Sumac 186
Burnet 42 Lime 116 Tamarind 188
Cacao 44 Lovage 118 Tarragon 190
Calamondin 46 Mexican Oregano 120 Tea 192
Caraway 48 Mexican Tarragon 122 Thyme 194
Cardamom 50 Mint 124 Turmeric 196
Carob 52 Miracle Fruit 126 Vanilla 198
Carolina Allspice 54 Moujean Tea 128 Vietnamese Mint 200
Chamomile 56 Mustard 130 Watercress 202
Chervil 58 Myrtle 132 Wax Myrtle 204
Chicory 60 Nasturtium 134 Wild Cinnamon 206
Chili Pepper 62 New Jersey Tea 136 Witch Hazel 208
Chives 66 Oregano 138 Yellow Anise 210
Cilantro 68 Osage Orange 140
Cinnamon 70 Pandanus 142
Coffee 72 Parsley 144 Glossary 212
Cuban Oregano 74 Pepperweed 146 Gardens and Herb
Culantro 76 Perilla 148 Collections 214
Cumin 78 Red Bay 150
Curry Leaf Tree 80 Nurseries and Seed
Root Beer Plant 152
Dill 82 Rose 154 Companies 215
Fennel 84 Roselle 156 References and Further
Fenugreek 86 Rosemary 158 Reading 216
Florida Anise 88 Rue 162
Gardenia 90 Rumberry 164 Index 218
Garlic 92 Sage 166
 Preface
Herbs and spices excite the senses with vibrant flavors and exotic scents. They enhance food. They bring
the cuisines of distant lands into the home. Many are steeped in history, lore, and tradition. Herbs and
spices also make attractive additions to the home garden. They surpass many ornamentals in visual appeal,
combining beauty, intrigue, and utility.
Florida’s warm climate provides residents with the opportunity to raise herbs and spices from around
the globe. Unique tropical plants such as vanilla, pandanus, and curry leaf grow in southern portions of
the state. By making minor adjustments, the Florida gardener can raise nearly any popular northern herb.
Valuable native plants round out the possibilities.
This book introduces gardeners to 92 herbs and spices suited to cultivation in Florida. Each plant is
covered in a detailed profile, which includes illustrations, growing techniques, climate requirements, and
distribution maps. Florida’s Best Herbs and Spices presents the gardener with a myriad of planting choices.
We at Pineapple Press are confident that this book, like its companion volume, Florida’s Best
Fruiting Plants, will be regarded as a gardening classic.

Introduction
Raising herbs and spices within the home landscape provides several key benefits. First, the gardener
can select plants based on personal preferences. Plantings can be tailored to match a particular cuisine
or to provide access to ingredients that are not widely available. Second, the gardener has the ability to
control the use of pesticides or other chemicals within the landscape. Third, substantial savings can be
achieved by using herbs and spices grown within the garden, rather than those purchased from the market.
Plants harvested directly from the garden are always fresher and more flavorful than their commercial
counterparts. Finally, there is the sense of accomplishment that comes from establishing a successful herb
and spice garden.
This book covers herbs and spices suitable for planting in every region of Florida. It includes both
native and exotic plants. It describes familiar plants along with those that are rare or obscure. The plants
described within these pages embody a unique mix of scents, flavors, textures, and colors.
For purposes of this book, a spice is defined as a plant part, devoid of significant nutritive value,
which is used to enhance or alter the flavor of food. Spices may consist of seeds, roots, fruits, or leaves.
While they are often dried for preservation, spices may be used fresh or may be processed in a number of
ways, such as through fermentation or extraction.
An herb is defined as a green, leafy plant part used to flavor food, to provide aroma, or for medicinal
or therapeutic purposes. Herbs are most often used fresh, although they may also be dried. Unlike spices,
herbs may provide significant nutritive value.

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville, Florida, Many herbs are highly ornamental and can be used in
is home to one of the most extensive and diverse herb place of other groundcovers and bedded plantings. The
collections in the country. pebbled leaves of golden sage, Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’,
add texture and color to the garden.

4
HISTORY OF HERBS AND SPICES
Humans have used herbs and spices since primitive times. Early uses may have been directed toward
masking the effects of spoilage. However, our early ancestors may also have used herbs and spices for
medicinal or ceremonial purposes, or simply for eating out of hand.
Prior to the advent of written history, herbs and spices stimulated commerce and communication
between cultures. Evidence of the use of herbs, in both China and the Middle East, stretches back 5,000
years. As early as 2,000 BC, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices were important items of com-
merce in the Middle East. Egyptians used spices for embalming and mummification. According to the New
Testament of the Bible, three kings from the Orient bestowed rare spices—frankincense and myrrh—on the
infant Jesus Christ.
Arab merchants, then Phoenician traders, supplied southern Europe with spices. Spices were symbols
of status in the Roman Empire. Throughout early European history spices were expensive, and were only
available to persons of wealth. Indeed, at various times, certain spices were worth more than their weight
in gold. European interest was piqued as a result of the military expeditions of Alexander the Great, the
crusades, and the travels of Marco Polo. The cities of Venice and Genoa grew and prospered for many
centuries as a result of the Mediterranean spice trade.
The Age of Exploration was driven in
large part by the quest for spice. Spain and
Portugal sought to break the monopoly held
by Italian merchants and Arab traders. When
Christopher Columbus sailed the Atlantic in
1492, he sought to discover a sea route to
India, the country of origin for many valuable
spices. In 1498, Vasco de Gama sailed around
the Cape of Good Hope and became the first
European to discover a sea route to India.
During the period that followed, Portuguese,
British, Dutch, and Spanish navies competed
for control of sea routes to India and Southeast
Asia. Spices were the subject of wars, treach- Pound for pound, saffron is the world’s most expensive
ery, and complex colonial ambitions. spice. The threads shown here are actually the dried stigmas
of the saffron crocus, Crocus sativus. This plant is native to the
While the events described above oc- Mediterranean region and may have originated on Crete.
curred in the Eastern Hemisphere, several key
spices originated in the Americas. The most
noteworthy of these are vanilla, cacao (choco-
late), and chili pepper. The Aztecs were familiar
with these plants and their culinary uses. Na-
tive Americans used cacao as early as 1,000
BC. Spanish conquistadors, upon their arrival in
the New World, swiftly recognized these plants
as a source of potential wealth. The Spanish
exploited native labor to establish and work
vast plantations, shipping their produce to ea-
ger European markets. When a hurricane drove
the Spanish plate fleet ashore on Florida’s east
coast in 1715, not only did its ships carry gold Hot peppers come in many forms, sizes, and shapes. Peppers
are native to the Americas and were not known in the eastern
and silver, but they also carried a cargo of hemisphere prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus. They
precious New World spices. These included have since been adopted as a key ingredient in many European,
annatto, sassafras, cacao, and vanilla. Asian, and African cuisines.

5
SCOPE, LIMITATIONS, AND CAUTIONS
This book does not cover every herb and spice that will grow in Florida. It focuses on 92 plants of merit.
The species included are those with agreeable flavors and scents, those that are easy to grow in the home
garden, and those with high landscape value. This book focuses on culinary herbs and provides reduced
coverage of plants grown purely for scent.
This book includes more than a dozen descriptions of native herbs and spices. Some of these, such as
Carolina allspice, Florida anise, wax myrtle, witch hazel, and yellow
anise, are scent plants and are not suitable for human consumption.
However, some native species such as bee balm, New Jersey tea, red
bay, sassafras, spicebush, sumac, and vanilla, offer culinary uses.
While this book contains basic information regarding uses of the
herbs and spices covered within its pages, it is not a recipe book or
nutritional guide. The bibliography includes several excellent sources
that provide expanded information about cooking. Further, while the
culinary uses given for plants within this book comport with those
recognized in current literature, they are not based on any special-
ized knowledge of the author or publisher. If information provided
The clove of commerce is the
within this book conflicts with that of recent government advisories or dried flower bud of a medium-
scientific findings, the reader should exercise caution and should rely sized evergreen tree, Syzygium
on the most recent information available. aromaticum, thought to have
originated in the Maluku Islands. The
This book omits any references to the alleged medical or thera- tree is extremely cold sensitive and
peutic qualities of herbs and spices. The author is not a physician and suffers damage when temperatures
is unwilling to recommend any dubious forms of treatment. Many of fall below 50° F. Therefore, it is not
suitable for growth as a dooryard tree
the medical properties commonly ascribed to herbs have not been in Florida
confirmed by science. In the author’s opinion, any books or articles
that “prescribe” herbal “treatments” for a broad range of ailments
should be viewed with skepticism. That a single plant would reduce arthritic pain while preventing the
common cold and eradicating various cancers is unlikely. That the writers of such literature have uncov-
ered a “miracle” cure unknown to medical science is even less likely.
It should also be emphasized that not every plant in this book is edible. Some are only suitable for
use as scent agents or as strewing herbs. Such limitations are pointed out within the plant profiles. A few
species are poisonous. Unless the text specifically indicates that a plant is suitable for culinary use, it
should never be ingested.

Many species of jasmine are grown as scent plants throughout the world’s tropical and warm-temperate regions. Shown
in the photographs above are downy jasmine, Jasminum multiflorum (left), and windmill jasmine, Jasminum laurifolium
(right). In the Orient, especially in China, jasmine blossoms are used to flavor tea.

6
Lemon Balm
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Melissa officinalis
FAMILY: Lamiaceae Planted
OTHER COMMON NAME: Melisa (Spanish) in Spring

Semi-Woody, Deciduous Perennial

Planted
in Fall

Known Hazards
Those with a thyroid condition
should consult with a physician
before using this herb, as it may
interfere with production of the
Lemon balm is one of several herbs grown for their “lemony” scent hormone thyrotropin, a thyroid-
and flavor. The International Herb Association designated lemon stimulant. There is insufficient
balm as the Herb of the Year for 2007. This species does very well data on the safety of lemon balm
in north Florida and can be grown throughout the state. while pregnant or nursing, and
use is therefore discouraged.

110
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION Lemon balm is CULTIVATION Lemon balm can be grown
indigenous to southern Europe. It has been planted throughout Florida. With some protection, it can
in most warm temperate regions of the globe. In succeed as far north as USDA hardiness zone
some areas it is viewed as an invasive pest. It is 4. In north Florida, it is deciduous. It is killed to
capable of spreading by seed and displacing native the ground by the first frost, but regenerates from
species. To date, these invasive tendencies have its roots upon the return of warmer weather. In
not been apparent in Florida. south Florida, lemon balm suffers decline in the
heat and humidity of the summer. It is therefore
grown as a winter crop and is treated as an annual.
Although the plant performs well in full sun, it will
tolerate light shade. Lemon balm has moderate salt
tolerance. The plant can be cut back as it begins
to flower to prevent it from self-sowing. Lemon
balm can be started from seed, cuttings, or clump
division. The seed is tiny and should be planted at
a very shallow depth.
HARVEST AND USE The leaves can be harvested at
any time after the plant is established. Lemon balm
leaves are used fresh in salads, steeped as herbal
tea, and used as a flavoring agent for beverages,
sauces, salad dressings, soups, seafood dishes,
and desserts. Dried leaves are used in potpourris,
although the scent diminishes when the leaves are
In its habit of growth, lemon balm resembles many other dried. Those taking thyroid medications should not
members of the mint family. consume lemon balm, as it is thought to interfere
PLANT DESCRIPTION Lemon balm is a perennial with the absorption of these drugs. Otherwise, this
herb. It attains a height of about 3 feet. Leaves species is considered safe for human consumption.
are opposite, glabrous, somewhat wrinkled, with
dentate margins. Clusters of small off-white to
pale-yellow flowers appear in the leaf axils in the
late spring and summer. These turn pink with age.
FLAVOR AND SCENT Leaves are aromatic and
exude a faint lemon scent, which is accentuated
when the leaves are crushed or bruised. The lemon
flavor is pleasant, but not as strong as that of lemon
verbena.
VARIETIES A few cultivars appear to have been
selected. A yellow-leaved variety dubbed ‘All
Gold’ and a variegated type, ‘Variegata,’ are
sometimes available.
RELATIVES Lemon balm is a member of the
Lamiaceae or mint family. This family consists
of about 625 genera and 7,000 species. Other
Lamiaceae species discussed within this book
include basil, Ocimum spp.; bee balm, Monarda
didyma; Cuban oregano, Plectranthus amboinicus;
Jamaican mint, Micromeria viminea; lavender,
Lavandula spp.; mint, Mentha spp.; oregano,
Origanum spp.; perilla, Perilla frutescens;
rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis; sage, Salvia
officinalis; savory, Satureja spp.; and thyme, Close-up photograph of lemon balm growth tip
Thymus spp. The Melissa genus is small and
contains only about five species. None are native
to North America.

111