By Jennifer Poindexter
Cooking with fresh herbs can add amazing flavor to simple dishes. If you cook with fresh herbs often, you should consider growing an herb garden.
However, be mindful of which herbs you incorporate into this garden. There are certain herbs which remain available to you (in certain areas) year-round.
If you’re interested in learning about evergreen herbs that are available all year long, then you’ll want to pay close attention to the list I’ve created.
Here are a few options for evergreen herbs to incorporate into your herb garden:
What You’ll Learn:
- Discover what makes an herb evergreen and their year-round availability.
- Learn the best practices for harvesting these herbs to ensure regrowth.
- Explore ten evergreen herbs, each with unique growing conditions and hardiness zones.
- Understand the functional and aesthetic benefits of incorporating evergreen herbs in your garden.
What Is an Evergreen Herb?
An evergreen herb is a plant which maintains its foliage year-round. Where some herbs die back during the cooler portions of the year, evergreen herbs hold on to their normal size.
Plus, these plants maintain their foliage as well. If you’d like to incorporate plants into your herb garden which remain colorful throughout the year, then evergreen herbs could be for you.
Can You Harvest Evergreen Herbs Year-Round?
Yes, you may harvest evergreen herbs year-round. If you live in a climate where the plants remain hardy, they should continue growing and blooming.
If this is the case for your planting zone, you may harvest the plant even in the cooler portions of the year. Be mindful to only harvest 30% of the plant (or less) at any given time to ensure it regrows.
Evergreen Herbs That Are Available All Year Long
Now that you have a better understanding of what an evergreen herb is and the harvesting habits for these plants, let’s discuss the herbs which fall into this category.
I’ll share which herbs you may choose from for your evergreen herb garden, the growing conditions they need, and the areas where the plants remain hardy.
Here are evergreen herbs that are available all year long:
1. Sage
Sage is a beautiful green plant with textured leaves and a nice fragrance. It’s wonderful to cook with and adds aesthetic variations in the herb garden due to its design and coloring of its leaves.
If you’d like to add sage to your evergreen herb garden, be sure to provide a growing location with well-draining soil and plenty of sunlight.
Sage grows in various soil types and high temperatures, but it won’t survive if left in oversaturated conditions. This herb remains hardy in planting zones four through ten.
2. Mint
Mint is an herb which must be grown with caution. It’s best to grow this plant in a container as it’s known for taking over growing spaces and smothering nearby plants.
Expect mint to thrive in areas with full to partial sunlight. It also needs well-draining soil. Be mindful that this plant isn’t left in overly wet conditions as this causes issues with disease.
Mint is known for surviving temperatures as low as -20-degrees Fahrenheit, so you should expect it to remain hardy in planting zones three through eight.
3. Oregano
Oregano is a gorgeous plant. If provided the right growing conditions, it should become larger with each passing year.
When you’re growing oregano, be sure to provide a growing location with plenty of sunlight and soil that’s well-draining. This is another herb which may be hindered if left in soggy growing conditions.
Though this plant thrives in various soil types, if oversaturation is a concern, be sure to amend the soil for better drainage. Oregano should remain hardy in planting zones four through ten.
4. Lavender
Lavender is a gorgeous plant that’s difficult to miss due to its lightly colored blooms and green foliage. If you’d like a bushier herb to provide a pop of color to your landscape, lavender could be for you.
When growing lavender, be sure to pick a location with soil that drains adequately and has plenty of bright lighting. If you live in a warmer planting zone, try to provide morning sunlight and afternoon shade to better protect the plant.
Unlike many plants, lavender doesn’t prefer nutrient-dense soil. It’s best to avoid amending the soil prior to planting. In turn, the plant should remain hardy in planting zones five through nine.
5. Winter Savory
Winter savory is a rich green plant that’s commonly used to season meat. Many cooks use it as a rub before placing meat in an oven or on a grill.
No matter how you choose to utilize your winter savory, be sure to provide the right growing conditions to encourage your plant to thrive.
Winter savory grows best in areas with well-draining soil and full sunlight. The soil doesn’t have to be top-notch as this plant isn’t a heavy feeder. Expect winter savory to remain hardy in planting zones six through nine.
6. Rosemary
Rosemary is a bushier plant that produces dark green foliage. This plant is not only gorgeous, but it’s also loaded with flavor.
If you’re interested in incorporating rosemary into your evergreen herb garden, be sure you can supply a growing location with ample warmth, sunlight, and well-draining soil.
This plant doesn’t thrive during periods of extreme cold or overly soggy conditions. For these reasons, rosemary only remains hardy in planting zones eight and nine.
7. Salvia
Salvia is usually grown for its flowers, but this plant is classified as an herb. It produces a base of green foliage with long stems and vertical, colorful blooms.
When looking to add a pop of color to your herb garden, salvia could be a great choice. This plant is low-maintenance, known for being drought-tolerant, and thrives in areas with plenty of direct sunlight.
Certain types of salvia can also thrive in areas with only partial sunlight. All varieties require well-draining soil, though. Expect salvia to remain hardy in planting zones four through ten.
8. Thyme
Thyme is a highly aromatic, low-growing plant that reaches heights around a foot tall. You shouldn’t need to grow a lot of this herb since a small amount goes a long way when cooking with it.
If you’re interested in growing thyme, ensure you supply a location with warmth, plenty of sunshine, and soil that’s well-draining and aerated.
Thyme should remain evergreen in warmer climates and stay hardy in planting zones five through nine.
9. Bay
Bay is an herb, but it comes from a bay laurel tree. Therefore, you may need more room to grow this plant.
These trees grow to average heights ranging from 40 to 80-feet tall. However, they can grow in various conditions.
Try to provide the bay laurel tree with full to partial sunlight and ensure the soil is well-draining. This tree should remain hardy in planting zones eight through ten.
10. Parsley
Our last herb to discuss is parsley. This plant is considered a biennial and should produce leafy green foliage during the first year.
Then it should bloom and produce seed the next year. If you would like to incorporate parsley into your growing space, be sure to provide an area with soil that’s both nutritious and well-draining.
This herb also prefers a growing location with full sunlight. Parsley should remain hardy in planting zones two through eleven.
You now have ten different options for evergreen herbs that are available all year long. These herbs are great for aesthetic purposes.
However, they’re also highly functional. Whether you want to keep your landscape pretty all year-long, or you’d like to avoid purchasing fresh herbs, this list should contain information to help you start accomplishing these goals.
Key Takeaways:
- Year-Round Availability: Evergreen herbs maintain foliage throughout the year and are available for continuous harvest.
- Variety of Choices: Sage, mint, oregano, lavender, winter savory, rosemary, salvia, thyme, bay, and parsley offer diverse options for evergreen herbs.
- Growing Conditions & Zones: Each herb has specific needs for sunlight, soil, and climate, and thrives in certain hardiness zones.
- Dual Benefits: These herbs provide both aesthetic appeal to gardens and flavor enhancements in cooking.
Evergreen Herbs Quick Reference Growing Chart
| Herb | Sunlight | Soil Type | Watering | USDA Hardiness Zones |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sage | Full Sun | Well-draining | Avoid oversaturation | 4-10 |
| Mint | Full to Partial Sun | Well-draining | Avoid overly wet conditions | 3-8 |
| Oregano | Full Sun | Well-draining | Avoid soggy conditions | 4-10 |
| Lavender | Full Sun | Well-draining | Avoid nutrient-dense soil | 5-9 |
| Winter Savory | Full Sun | Well-draining | Not a heavy feeder | 6-9 |
| Rosemary | Full Sun | Well-draining | Tolerates drought | 8-9 |
| Salvia | Full to Partial Sun | Well-draining | Drought-tolerant | 4-10 |
| Thyme | Full Sun | Well-draining, aerated | 5-9 | |
| Bay | Full to Partial Sun | Well-draining | 8-10 | |
| Parsley | Full Sun | Nutritious, well-draining | 2-11 |
Learn More About Growing Herbs
https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/gardening/gardening-101/herb-gardening-for-beginners
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/care-herbs-and-starting-herbs-seed
https://mgsantaclara.ucanr.edu/garden-help/herbs/herb-gardening-basics/
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