Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Aromatic/Industrial Dried peel is used in potpourri, and for varicose veins, hemorrhoids, kidney stones, fevers. Due to USDA regulations,
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Beverage/Industrial Duration: Annual When to Sow: Spring Ease of Germination: Easy Best known for flavoring liqueurs such as anisette, ouzo, absinthe and sambuca. Cultivated since 1500 BC in Greece and the Middle East for its distinctive sweet licorice flavor, anise is an annual that requires a long hot summer to bring the seeds to maturity. The plant grows to almost a meter (3ft) in rich, well-drained soil, bearing white flowers in umbels that attract butterflies. As a companion plant it does well with coriander, and is protective against aphids. Anise seed has traditionally been valued for its ability to calm nervous stomachs and aid digestion, and is also thought to be helpful with chronic coughs. Ground seed is used in confectionary goods including pfeffnusse, springerle and biscotti. Fresh chopped leaves are appealing in soups, stews, sauces and salads. According to Medieval herbologists, anise is an aphrodisiac, and the seeds have been found to contain estrogenic compounds. Drinks containing oil of anise remain transparent until water is added, causing the oil to "bloom" in a milky white or pale green clouds called a louche. Absinthe is the most famous anise-flavoured drink, and during the 19th century it was the favourite drink of Degas, Picasso, Van Gogh, and Wilde.
Usage: Caraway seeds Caraway seeds and oil have properties associated with improving gastric problems, flatulence, and indigestion ,caraway plant contains fixed oil along with carbohydrate and protein. Caraway is a carminative. Carminatives are herbs that help to ameliorate gastrointestinal pain, and associated gas pain. The volatile oil of caraway may also be a useful remedy for bowel spasms
Usage: Chamomile powder Chamomile flower Chamomile is a versatile herb medicinally that treats a plethora of common ailments. Generally, there are three categories of use - as an anti-inflammatory for the skin, as an anti-infective for many common ailments, and as an anti-spasmodic for such problems as stomach cramps and indigestion, Used in a Tea, or in Capsule form, Chamomile flowers are used internally for many common physical symptoms, including menstrual cramps, stomach cramps, indigestion, flatulence, diarrhea, fever, colds, congestion, headaches, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, stress, nervousness, and poor digestion. For babies, it is helpful with symptoms of colic and teething pain.
Bay Laurel:Laurus nobilis...........................ورق لورا
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Industrial Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 8-10) When to Sow: Spring Ease of Germination: Moderate/Special Treatment Required Like wine, thyme and leeks, bay leaf is a foundation flavour of French cuisine. Meat, fish and poultry dishes almost always have a touch. Frost-sensitive small trees; best grown in tubs that afford easy movement indoors during winter. Note: Bay seeds will not germinate if they dry out too much in storage.
Usage: Calendula flowers Calendula tinctures, ointments, and washes are commonly used to speed the healing of burns, bruises, and cuts, as well as the minor infections they cause. Calendula cream is also used to treat hemorrhoids. Animal studies show that calendula does appear to speed wound healing, possibly by increasing blood flow to the wounded area and by helping the body produce collagen proteins, which are used to heal skin and connective tissue.
Uses: Culinary/Industrial Duration: Annual When to Sow: Spring Ease of Germination: Easy Seeds are important in many international cuisines, including those of India and Mexico. Flavor resembles caraway but is hotter. Used in soups, cake, bread, cheese, and is a standard ingredient of commercial curry powders. Requires a long warm growing season; should be started indoors in colder climates.
Usage: Fennel seeds Fennel is used as a flavoring in some natural toothpaste. Some people employ it as a diuretic. Others use it to improve the milk supply of breastfeeding mothers
Usage: Fenugreek seeds As a medicinal plant, fenugreek has traditionally been considered a carminative, demulcent, expectorant, laxative, and stomachic. Fenugreek has been used topically for abscesses, boils, burns, eczema, gout, and ulceration of the skin as it has an anti-inflammatory effect. Fenugreek has been used orally for loss of appetite and stomach complaints.
Usage : Spearmint is edible and Medicinal, the leaves and flowers are edible raw or cooked. A strong flavor, they are used in salads or added to cooked foods. A medicinal herb tea made from the fresh or dried leaves has a very pleasant and refreshing taste, leaving the mouth and digestive system feeling clean.
Usage: Marjoram tea has been used historically for relief from symptoms of hay fever, sinus congestion, indigestion, asthma, stomach pain, headache, dizziness, colds, coughs, and nervous disorders. It is a gently fragrant, calming herb that does have mild antioxidant and anti-fungal properties. Unsweetened tea can also be used as a mouthwash or gargle.
Usage: It also serves as a very delicious beverage which is refreshing and beneficial , The medicinal uses of Hibiscus were known from a long time ago. It has a major diuretic effect. Many Egyptian now use it to lower their blood pressure. It act as an antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cholagogue, demulcent, digestive, diuretic, emollient, purgative, refrigerant, resolvent, sedative, stomachic, and tonic , Roselle is a folk remedy for abscesses, bilious conditions, cancer, cough, debility, dyspepsia, dysuria, fever, hangover, heart ailments, hypertension, neurosis, scurvy, and strangury.
Lemongrass: Cymbopogon citratus.....حشيشة الليمون
Usage: Lemon grass Lemongrass is an herb with a plethora of uses medicinally, from being a stomach soother to being an effective insect repellant and fungicide.
Usage : This herb promotes good digestion, and nourishes the kidneys, liver and bladder. Parsley is an excellent source of natural chlorophyll, along with a variety of other healthy nutrients. It is a mild aphrodisiac. And Parsley helps hypertension due to its diuretic properties.
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Beverage/Aromatic/Industrial Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 8-10,11+) When to Sow: Spring/Anytime Ease of Germination: Moderate Regular variety. Upright bush habit.
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Aromatic/Industrial Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 4-9) When to Sow: Spring/Late Summer/Early Fall/Anytime Ease of Germination: Easy (German thyme; Winter thyme) Most popular variety. Broad dark green leaves. Robust growth habit.
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Aromatic Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 7-9) When to Sow: Spring Ease of Germination: Difficult Important ceremonial herb among the California Indians, used for purification much like wormwood (Artemisia ludoviciana). Roots were used for afterbirth to heal and to clean the womb. Leaves were smoked, taken as a tea, or used in sweatlodges to cure colds.
Black Pepper: Piper nigrum-White Pepper: Piper nigrum..فلفل أبيض وأسمر
Usage: Basil crushed Cultivated as a culinary herb, condiment or spice; source of essential oil for use in foods, flavors, and fragrances; garden ornamental. The green aromatic leaves are used fresh and dried as flavorings or spices in sauces, stews, salad dressings, vegetables, poultry, vinegar, confectionery products, and the liqueur chartreuse. Basil extract has been reported to have antioxidant activity.
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Aromatic Nutmeg was once so rare that in the 17th century it sparked international wars for possession of the islands that produced it. Native to the Spice Islands of Indonesia, at one time four or five whole nutmegs were considered a fortune. However once the cultivation of the trees spread outside Indonesia the world was able to enjoy the sweet, delicate taste. Nutmeg enhances the flavour of virtually any dish, and it has become indispensable in many national cuisines. Hallucinogenic in extremely high doses, it causes delirium that can last for days, with headache, nausea and fatigue. Nutmeg is poisonous to animals.
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Industrial Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 8-10) When to Sow: Anytime Ease of Germination: Difficult Ground seeds are essential in Indian cuisine; featured in the best of Indian curries, biryanis, pilaus, and dhals, and an important member of the spice mixture, garam masala. Cardamom's perfumed flavour is delicious in lassi, the famous yogurt drink of India, and in Indian spiced tea. Scandinavians are particularly fond of its liberal use in pastries. Leaves are used in curries inTrinidad. Makes an appealing houseplant with its perfumed leaves, even if it is difficult to coax into bloom.
Peppermint:Mentha x piperita.................نعناع فلفلى
Usage: Peppermint has a high menthol content, and is often used as a flavoring in tea, ice cream, confectionery, chewing gum, and toothpaste. The oil also contains menthol and methyl esters. It is the oldest and most popular flavor of mint-flavored confectionery. Peppermint can also be found in some shampoos and soaps, it helps against upset stomachs, inhibits the growth of certain bacteria, and can help soothe and relax muscles when inhaled or applied to the skin. Other health benefits are attributed to the high manganese, vitamin C and vitamin A content.
Description:Lentils are a hardy annual; they are a member of the pea family. Lentils grow on sparsely branched vines from 18 to 24 inches tall. The lentil has small whitish to light purple pea-like flowers. Pods are small, broad, flat and contain one or two flat, lens-shaped seed that are green or yellow to orange, red or brown. Site:Plant lentils in full sun. Lentils prefer loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. They will grow in poor soil. Lentils grow best in a soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Planting time:Lentils grow best in cool weather. Sow lentils in spring as early as 2 to 3 weeks before the average last frost date. Lentils can be started indoors before transplanting to the garden; lentil seeds will germinate in 10 days at 68°F. Lentils require 80 to 110 days to come to harvest. Harvest:Lentils are commonly used like dry beans or peas. For dried seeds, harvest pods when they have matured and hardened. Leave lentils unshelled until you are ready to use them. Dried lentils are ready for harvest 110 days after sowing. Varieties:Lentils can be divided into large lentils and small lentils. There are dozens of varieties of each type. Three common lentil varieties are flat brown ones, small yellow ones, and large pea-shaped ones. Storing and preserving:Unshelled green-pod lentils will keep in the refrigerator for one week. Dried, shelled lentils can be stored in a cool, dry place for 10 to 12 months. Lentils can also be sprouted. Origin:Mediterranean region
Description:a common vegetable in Egypt. Its nickname, in fact, is Egyptian spinach. The leaves are sauteed or used in soups, where it acts as a thickening agent, like it's relative okra. Molokhia grows from 6 to 8 feet in height with few side branches. It requires consistently warm temperatures and lots of humidity to germinate and grow, and is hardy to zone 10 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Sow molokhia seeds in spring in a sunny spot in the garden.
Black Cumin:Nigella sativ......................حبة البركه
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal Duration: Annual When to Sow: Spring Ease of Germination: Easy (Fennel flower; Russian caraway; Black caraway) Commonly featured in Indian dhals and equally at home in Russian rye bread! Aromatic black seeds resemble fennel in aroma and taste something like peppery nutmeg. Seeds can be ground and used with near abandon like black pepper. Its legendary healing powers are summed up in the Arab proverb, “In the black seed is the medicine for every disease except death.”
Description: Ginger is a plant native to Southeast Asia that is also grown in the United States, China, India, and various tropical regions. The root is usually the part of the plant used in herbal remedies. Overview: Ginger has a long history as an herbal remedy for upset stomach, motion sickness, and loss of appetite and as a pungent spice for cooking. Some controlled studies in humans show ginger reduces nausea and vomiting from some causes. Most clinical studies of ginger have tested the use of this herb for nausea associated with pregnancy or following surgery. Tests of how well it might relieve nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy are still going on. There are a number of conventional medicines for the nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. Available scientific evidence does not support claims that ginger can add to the effectiveness of these medicines. But some people with cancer find that the taste or aroma of beverages and foods with ginger helps soothe their nausea. Ginger may interfere with blood clotting and should only be used by cancer patients after talking about it with their doctors. This concern applies mostly to people whose clotting function is already weakened by their cancer or its treatment or to people having surgery. How is it promoted for use? Ginger has been used to control or prevent nausea, vomiting, and motion sickness; as an anti-inflammatory (a drug that reduces pain and swelling); a cold remedy; an aid to digestion; a remedy for intestinal gas; and to help relieve nausea in cancer patients who are having chemotherapy. It is also sometimes promoted for arthritis or joint and muscle pain. Some proponents have also claimed ginger is able to keep tumors from developing, even though available scientific evidence does not support this.
Descripition:Asmall evergreen tree, pyramidal, trunk soon divides into large branches covered with a smooth greyish bark; leaves large, entire, oblong, lanceolate (always bright green colour), which stand in pairs on short foot-stalks, when bruised very fragrant. Flowers grow in bunches at end of branches. At the start of the rainy season long greenish buds appear; from the extremity of these the corolla comes which is of a lovely rosy peach colour; as the corolla fades the calyx turns yellow, then red. The calyces, with the embryo seed, are at this stage beaten from the tree and when dried are the cloves of commerce. The flowers have a strong refreshing odour. If the seeds are allowed to mature, most of the pungency is lost. Each berry has only one seed. The trees fruit usually about eight or nine years after planting. The whole tree is highly aromatic. The spice was introduced into Europe from the fourth to the sixth century. The finest cloves come from Molucca and Pemba, where the trees grow better than anywhere else, but they are also imported from the East and West Indies, Mauritius and Brazil. In commerce the varieties are known by the names of the localities in which they are grown. Formerly Cloves were often adulterated, but as production increased the price lowered and fraud has decreased. Cloves contain a large amount of essential oil which is much used in medicine. When of good quality they are fat, oily, and dark brown in colour, and give out their oil when squeezed with the finger-nail. When pale colour and dry, they are of inferior quality and yield little oil. Clove stalks are some times imported, and are said to be strongerand more pungent even than the Cloves. Clove trees absorb an enormous amount of moisture, and if placed near water their weight is visibly increased after a few hours; dishonest dealers often make use of this knowledge in their dealings, and the powdered stems are often sold as pure powdered Cloves. Constituents:Volatile oil, gallotannic acid; two crystalline principles - Caryophyllin, which is odourless and appears to be a phylosterol, Eugenin; gum, resin, fibre. ---Uses:The most stimulating and carminative of all aromatics; given in powder or infusion for nausea emesis, flatulence, languid indigestion and dyspepsia, and used chiefly to assist the action of other medicines. The medicinal properties reside in the volatile oil. The oil must be kept in dark bottles in a cool place. If distilled with water, salt must be added to raise the temperature of ebullition and the same Cloves must be distilled over and over again to get their full essence. The oil is frequently adulterated with fixed oil and oil of Pimento and Copaiba. As a local irritant it stimulates peristalsis. It is a strong germicide, a powerful antiseptic, a feeble local anaesthetic applied to decayed teeth, and has been used with success as a stimulating expectorant in phthisis and bronchial troubles. Fresh infusion of Cloves contains astringent matter as well as the volatile oil. The infusion and Clove water are good vehicles for alkalies and aromatics.
Chickpea:Cicer arietinum.......................حمص الشام
Origin: Chickpeas probably originate from Turkey. Distribution: Chickpeas were first grown in the Middle East. They are now common in India, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Ethiopia, Mexico, ARE,Argentina, Chile, Peru, USA and Australia. Annual, biennial, or perennial: Chickpea is grown as an annual crop. Plant: Chickpea plants are 20 to 50 centimeters tall. Leaves: Small feathery leaves. Fruits: Chickpeas are a pulse crop. The fruit is a seedpod which contains two or three brown peas with an irregular shape. There are two types of chickpea: one has small, darker seeds and a rough coat, the other has lighter coloured, larger seeds and a smoother coat. Uses: Chickpeas are used in many different ways. The entire peas can be cooked and eaten warm in stews or cold in salads. Peas can be ground into 'gram flour' which is used in many Indian dishes. Cooked peas can be ground and shaped in balls that are then fried. Mashed chickpeas are the main ingredient for hummus, which is a dip that also contains garlic, olive oil and lemon juice.
Chili pepper:Capsicum annuum.........................شطه
Distribution: Now the chili peppers are spread over the entire world in all areas with suitable (tropical or warm) climate. Annual, biennial, or perennial:Capsicum annuum L. is grown as an annual plant. Flowers: Flowers develop about 3 months after planting. Flowers are white Leaves: The lanceolate leaves are either glabrous or pubescent Fruits: Climate and weather: The chilli pepper requires a warm (tropical) climate. It cannot tolerate frost. Chili peppers like hot and dry weather for fruit ripening Uses: Chili peppers can be eaten raw or cooked. Hot chilis are used chopped and raw in salads or can be cooked, for example in stir-fried dishes. In many countries they are processed into spicy sauces or hot salsas. Chili peppers are preserved by drying and then they are often grounded to chili powders, either pure or mixed with other spices. Other ways of preservation include pickling and freezing.
Distribution: Grows best in almost pure sand, requiring only 1 per cent of vegetable substance; it prefers a sheltered place, constant rain, heat and equal temperature. The Dutch owned the monopoly of the trade of the wild produce, and it was not cultivated until 1776, owing to Dutch opposition and the belief that cultivation would destroy its properties. Cinnamon is now largely cultivated. The tree grows from 20 to 30 feet high, has thick scabrous bark, strong branches, young shoots speckled greeny orange, the leaves petiolate, entire, leathery when mature, upper side shiny green, underside lighter; flowers small white in panicles; fruit, an oval berry like an acorn in its receptacle, bluish when ripe with white spots on it, bigger than a blackberry; the root-bark smells like cinnamon and tastes like camphor, which it yields on distillation. Leaves, when bruised, smell spicy and have a hot taste; the berry tastes not unlike Juniper and has a terebine smell; when ripe, bruised and boiled it gives off an oily matter which when cool solidifies and is called cinnamon suet. The commercial Cinnamon bark is the dried inner bark of the shoots. Cinnamon has a fragrant perfume, taste aromatic and sweet; when distilled it only gives a very small quantity of oil, with a delicious flavour. Constituents:0 to 10 per cent of volatile oil, tannin, mucilage and suga. Uses: Carminative, astringent, stimulant, antiseptic; more powerful as a local than as a general stimulant; is prescribed in powder and infusion but usually combined with other medicines. It stops vomiting, relieves flatulence, and given with chalk and astringents is useful for diarrhoea and haemorrhage of the womb.