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Herbs
What is an Herb?
Herbs, speaking in a culinary sense, are plants with leaves or flowers that are used for flavoring in cooking. The botanical definition of an Herb is something different. Herb is short for herbaceous and they are any seed-bearing plant which does not have a woody stem and dies down to the ground after flowering.
Herbaceous plants in Santa Cruz County
Redwood Sorrel
Distincitves
Three heart shaped leaves, connected at the center. Carpets heavily shaded redwood areasPacific Trillium
Distincitves
Three large smooth leaves with small flower growing out of middle. Lemon Balm
Distincitves
Leaves very fuzzy to the touch, always growing opposite eachother. Small purple flowers when in bloom. False Solomon’s seal
Distincitves
Smooth deeper green alternate pinnate leaves. Often 2-3 large veins running down length of leaf. British Columbia Wild Ginger
Distincitves
Palm sized heart shaped leaves growing close to groundMountain sweet cicely
Distincitves
Trifoliate (three leaflets) toothed or lobed leaves. Small white flower cluster when in bloom Three leaf Foamflower
Distincitves
Small white bell shaped flowers on towering stem, grows low to ground (often near water)Arctic Butterbur
Distincitves
One large single leaf growing out of a single stem. Near water sources. Wooly fuzz on underside of leafBroadleaf forget-me-not
Distincitves
Small purple flowers, long leaf with darker somewhat pronounced vein down middle. Red Baneberry
Distincitves
Bright red berries in the spring and summer, leaves are large and (maybe) pinnate with ridged edges. Small veins. Tall white stem of flowers before berries. Black Raspberry
Pacific Sanicle
Distincitves
Heavily veined the leaflet leaves Broad leaved Dock
Distincitves
Large oval shaped being single leaves pointed at the end. Low to the ground growth. Velvet Grass
Distincitves
Topped with a large purple stem like flower with multiple purple folds. Big Quaking Grass
Distincitves
White little (flowers?) growth that look like a rattle on rattle snake, purple and darker on the top.Pineapple Weed
Distincitves
Small little clusters of yellow like flower things that look like mini pineapples. Slender Oat
Orange-bush Monkey Flower
Distincitves
Orange flowers and underside of leaves are sticky to the touch. Narrow Leaved Clover
American Vetch
Sandhills Poppy
Distincitves
Singular four-petaled yellow flowers growing in the top high sun area of the sandhills. Western Starflower
Distincitves
Small purple star-shaped flower groing out of single quad leaved plants close to ground. Smooth Cats Ear
Distincitves
Long large ribbed leaves growing along ground out of stem with very tel stem leading to dandelion looking flower. Scarlet Pimpernel
Distincitves
Very small 5 petaled orange flowers with yellow stamen, goes very low to ground. No more than 1 inch high. Poison Hemlock
Distincitves
Tall stems topped with small bunches of white flowers. Leaves almost look like a fern. Seaside Daisy
Distincitves
Light purple many mini petals, 10-15 flowers a plant.Bluff Lettuce
Distincitves
Reddish and green succulent star plant near ground with rising stem of same color. Common Yarrow
Distincitves
Small, almost fern like tiny leaves, growing low to ground. Sea Bindweed
Distincitves
Growing in the sand, light purple flowers with white streaks and dark green heart shaped flowers. Silver burr ragweed.
Distincitves
Growing directly in sand, sprawling and covering large portions. Shortpod or Black Mustard ?
Distincitves
Thin and long stems ending in small yellow flowers. Pale Dewplant
Distincitves
Small carpet of purple flowers over small succulent bed. Woodland Strawberry
Distincitves
Three leaved plant, distinct triangle ridges. Redwood Violet
Distincitves
Carpets the floor underneath redwoods in a similar manner to sorrel. Small circular leaves with small yellow flowers. California Milkwort
Distincitves
Small oval leaves, purple flowers, near to ground. California Poppy
Distincitves
Deep orange/golden petals. Broad leaved helleborine
Distincitves
Grows straight up, large leaves. Funny bushy leaf thing at top. European Searocket
Bull thistle
Distincitves
Similar in size to milk thistle but no white washed leaves. Redwood inside out flower
Stinging Nettle
Distincitves
Similar looking to lemon balm but much larger height and leaves Fragrant Bedstraw
Distincitves
Very small growing close to the ground with perfectly 5 star shaped towered leavesBig leaf Periwinkle
Hookers Fairybells
Distincitves
Similar to the star false lily of valley but smaller and doesn’t grow in a single big stalk. Tutsan
Distincitves
Small yellow flowers at tips when in bloomWoodland Madia
Milkmaid
Herb Robert
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