In a generic sense, herbs are plants used for food,
aromas, medicine and perfumes. The culinary use of the term generally considers
as herbs the parts of the green leaf (dry or fresh) compared to the spices, which instead
are produced by other parts of the plant, such as seeds, berries, roots, fruits or bark,
usually dried. In botany the term herbs is used as a plural of grass, i.e. for
indicate herbaceous plants. Herbs have a variety of uses beyond culinary:
they are employed for medicine and in some cases also for spiritual use.
The general use of the term "herbs" in fact differs between aromatic herbs and herbs
medicines. In medicinal or spiritual use any of the parts of the plant could
be considered "herbs"; among which leaves, roots, flowers, seeds, resins, barks,
fruits and sometimes, the pericarp or other parts of the plant.

Culinary or aromatic herbs Aromatic herbs are distinguished from vegetables and,
like spices, are used in small quantities quantity and provide flavor to foods.
Aromatic herbs can be perennial plants such as thyme and lavender, biennial plants
such as parsley and annuals such as basil. Plant perennials can also be
shrubs such as rosemary or trees such as laurel. Some plants they are used both as herbs and
as spices, such as dill and coriander. Besides, there are some herbs, such as those in
the mint family, which are used for both purposes culinary and medicinal. (source Wikipedia)


(selection 2023)