Permaculture, Plants, People and Preservation
Cilantro, the plant we in Hawaii once knew as Chinese parsley, is a gardener’s frustration.
It’s slow to sprout, and once it gets above ground, a feast for slugs and snails. Then, if we’re lucky enough to get a few leaves of it, it goes to seed in the hot Hawaii sun.
We hear that there are plants that are like cilantro, but are there really?
Edible fennel, belonging to the carrot and parsnip family, has the texture of celery with a faint flavor of anise. Used extensively in Italian cooking, the vegetable can be eaten raw or sauteed. Both the bulb and fronds can be used. Fennel grows easily and also produces many seeds which […]
The Asia Ip and Britton varieties come from Johnny’s Seeds. The green shiso is grown from the seed stock of shiso originally purchased locally at Leilani’s Nursery in Waimanalo. Green is a staple, the type you get in sushi. Britton is pretty, but a little less tender. Asia Ip is […]
Tulsi, or holy basil, is a medicinal herb used for tea. Considered sacred in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, it is believed to be promote longevity. The purple leaf variety is known to have a slightly spicy, peppery flavor.
Both varieties are dwarf basil that produce heavily branched plants with tiny, dark green leaves. The leaves have a good basil aroma and a fine basil flavor. The plants are compact, globe-shaped and reach 7 to 8″ in height at full maturity. Excellent for both open field and pot production, […]
Mexican Mint Marigold has aromatic leaves which are often used as a substitute for French Tarragon. Sweet licorice flavor brightens salads and main dishes. The edible, pretty, golden-yellow flowers bloom all summer. Thrives in warmer climates where French tarragon will not grow. Also known as sweet mace or Mexican tarragon. […]
This particular basil variety is from Johnny’s Seeds, where I purchase a number of my plant seeds. Although I’ve found this variety is less heat-tolerant than other basil varieties, the herb is more fragrant, evoking the scent one would expect of a typical Italian basil. As with all basil, be […]
Chives, scientific name Allium schoenoprasum, are an edible species of the genus Allium. Their close relatives include the garlic, shallot, leek, scallion, and Chinese onion. A perennial plant, it is widespread in nature across much of Europe, Asia, and North America. This variety has white flowers and reproduces by bunching […]
Epazote (pronounced eh-pah-ZOH-teh) is an aromatic herb; both the fresh leaves and tender stems are used in cooking. The epazote plant is a leafy annual or short-lived perennial plant that can reach 4 feet in height. Its dark green, long, slender, jagged leaves end in a point. The flowers are green and […]
