Growing perennial herbs is a savvy way to save money in the garden and make gardening chores a lot easier. However, keeping track of the herbs that are actually perennials can be a bit of a challenge since many perennial herb plants are commonly treated like annuals in cold climates. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of popular perennial herbs below, including a selection of the most cold hardy plants that can survive winters in the chilliest gardens. What Are Perennial Herbs? Perennial herbs are relatively long-lived plants that take more than 2 years to complete their life cycle. These plants are winter hardy in their native habitat and often get quite large as they mature. Many of our most popular culinary herbs are technically perennials, including most mints and woody-stemmed herbs like lavender. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! What Are Annual Herbs? Herbs that are true annuals often have tender stems and a fast growth rate and they complete their entire life cycle in less than a year. That means that if you plant annual herb seeds in spring, you can expect your plants to reach their mature size, flower, and produce seeds all before they die back in fall. Dill, cilantro, and other herbs in the carrot family fall into this category; however, many perennial herbs are treated like annuals when they’re planted outside of their hardiness zone. Perennial vs. Tender Perennial Herbs Although tender perennial herbs are technically perennial plants, tender herbs are sensitive to the cold and they don’t survive winters in chilly climates. Most growers cultivate tender perennial herbs, like basil, as annuals and allow their plants to die back in fall. However, cold-sensitive herbs can be kept alive for years by overwintering them indoors or in a heated greenhouse. If you want to grow perennial herbs with minimal effort and don’t want to bother with overwintering plants indoors, select herbs that are winter hardy in your growing zone. Many cold tolerant, perennial herbs can be cultivated outdoors year round without winter protection—and some can even be harvested when they’re covered in snow. Common Perennial Herbs From apple mint to winter savory, there are many perennial herbs to choose from. But just because herbs are perennials, doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily grow perennially in your area. Before planting any of the following herbs in your garden, doublecheck their hardiness zone to make sure they can survive winters in your garden. Anise Hyssop Apple Mint Bay Laurel Bee Balm Bronze Fennel Catnip Chives Chocolate Mint French Tarragon Garlic Chives Lavender Lemon Balm Lemon Thyme Lemon Verbena Lovage Marjoram Mountain Mint Oregano Peppermint Pineapple Sage Roman Chamomile Rosemary Sage Salad Burnet Shiso Spearmint Stevia Sweet Cicely Thyme Winter Savory 11 Perennial Herbs to Grow Many growers dream of having a large herb garden brimming with fresh herbs for cooking, tea making, and more. But if you don’t have a lot of room for growing herbs, reserve the space you do have for the herbs you use the most in your recipes and plants that are well-suited to your growing zone. If you’re having a hard time choosing between herb plants, here’s a list of 11 perennial herbs that are especially versatile in the kitchen and easy to care for. Bay Laurel If you use a lot of bay leaves in your cooking, why not grow a bay laurel tree (Laurus nobilis) or two and harvest your own bay leaves for recipes? Although bay laurels only grow perennially in USDA zones 8 through 10, these plants thrive in roomy pots and can be cultivated indoors in cold locations. Among their many charms, bay laurel plants are relatively pest-proof, they’re long-lived, and their glossy green leaves have lots of aesthetic appeal. Chives Chives grow well in gardens or pots, and they can be used—fresh or dry—to flavor salads, soups, baked potatoes, casseroles, and many more dishes. Incredibly cold tolerant, chives grow perennially in zones 3 and up and they’re fantastic companion plants for attracting bees and other pollinators to veggie gardens. If you’re tired of classic chives, try growing garlic chives instead and use the garlic-flavored leaves in any recipe that calls for garlic cloves. Lavender Many growers cultivate lavender plants just for their richly scented leaves and charming, purple flowers. However, English lavender is edible and it can be used in desserts, brewed into teas, or infused into creative cocktails and mocktails. Like many other woody-stemmed herbs, lavender grows best in full sun and well-draining soil, and most varieties are winter hardy from zones 5 through 9. Marjoram There are several types of marjoram, but the most common variety for cooking is only hardy from zones 9 and up. If you live in a warm location, you can grow marjoram outdoors year round, but growers in colder areas should move their plants inside in winter if they want to keep them around. Marjoram leaves taste a bit like citrus mixed with pine and they can be used to elevate the taste of pasta sauces and other savory treats. Mint Growers have lots of mint plants to choose from, but peppermint and spearmint are usually the easiest plants to find at garden centers. Apple mint, chocolate mint, lemon balm, and catnip also fall into the mint category and, like other mint plants, they grow best when they’re provided with regular water and plenty of sun. Most mint plants grow aggressively and they should be kept in pots or dedicated raised beds to avoid invasiveness; however, native mountain mint plants are more mild-mannered and they’re especially attractive to native bees. Oregano Another cold hardy herb, common oregano grows perennially in zones 4 and up, and plants often remain evergreen through the winter months. In fact, you may be able to harvest small quantities of oregano leaves even when there’s snow on the ground and use those leaves to flavor pizza sauces, soups, and other cozy treats. For more variety, try lesser known oregano varieties like Greek oregano, Mexican oregano, or Syrian oregano. Roman Chamomile German chamomile and Roman chamomile are both grown for herbal teas; however, only Roman chamomile grows perennially. Compared to German chamomile, Roman chamomile plants are relatively short and they sport smaller, white and yellow flowers that are highly attractive to pollinators. Picking chamomile flowers every day or two keeps plants productive, and it’s the best way to boost the size of your chamomile harvest. Sage A classic herb for flavoring roasted meats and veggies, sage plants maintain a relatively upright growth habit and usually max out at around two to three feet tall. These plants grow well in pots or garden beds, but they should be kept in full sun and well-draining soil to avoid issues like root rot. Most culinary sage plants boast soft, silvery-green leaves, but if you love lots of garden color, you may want to grow purple or tricolor sage instead. Tarragon Hardy in zones 4 and up, tarragon is a popular ingredient in French cuisine and its licorice-flavored leaves are often blended into butter or infused into vinegar or olive oil. As with other homegrown herbs, tarragon leaves can be used fresh or they can be frozen or dried for longer term storage. Not only are tarragon plants tasty, but their buttery orange flowers bring lots of color to herb beds and flower pots—and they’re highly attractive to pollinators, too. Thyme Another woody-stemmed herb from the Mediterranean region, thyme prefers to grow in well-draining, sandy soil and full sun. While common thyme is the most popular thyme variety for culinary use, adventurous gardeners may want to grow other types of thyme instead. Lemon thyme, for instance, is prized for its lemony flavor; while creeping thyme has a particularly low growth habit and can be used as an edible ground cover or grass alternative in lawns. Winter Savory Unlike summer savory, winter savory is a perennial plant that has woody stems and a deep, rich flavor with notes of black pepper and pine. Hardy to zone 4, winter savory is often grown as a marjoram substitute in cold climates, but it’s also useful as a pest-repelling companion plant in vegetable gardens. If you want to dry woody-stemmed herbs like winter savory, gather the herb stems in bundles and hang them in a warm, dry place with good air flow until the stems are thoroughly dry and brittle.

Rosemary is great for an herb garden thanks to its fragrant and gentle nature. But like all evergreen shrubs, rosemary needs repeated pruning to help maintain the plant and keep it growing healthy. “With a plant like rosemary, whenever you make a cut above a leaf node, the plant will produce two new stems from that cut,” Annette Hird, gardener at Easy Urban Gardens, says. Hence, pruning rosemary helps the plant grow new leaves. But finding the right balance in terms of pruning is crucial. We chatted with an expert gardener to find out when, why, and how to prune rosemary. To keep this plant thriving in your herb garden, follow these helpful tips. Meet the Expert Annette Hird is an expert gardener at Easy Urban Gardens. Why Should You Prune Rosemary Plants? It’s important to prune rosemary because the plant can overgrow on one side, creating an uneven-looking shrub that leans woody in appearance. “Like any other perennial, rosemary benefits from pruning to keep the plant compact, bushy, and prevent it from becoming too woody,” Hird says. But also, pruning can encourage growth. Every time you cut above a leaf node, rosemary will produce more stems, resulting in an overall bigger and healthier plant. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best-growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! When Should You Prune Rosemary Plants? Rosemary responds best to pruning after it's done flowering. This can vary depending on your region and climate. Hird personally prunes her rosemary plants in early spring since they tend to flower over winter. However, it's important to not prune rosemary in late winter, especially during frost. This is because new growth needs some time to mature before winter snow. If the plant doesn’t harden in time, the plant will become too cold and could die from exposure. The safest time to prune is during the warmer months in summer. As long as you follow these general guidelines, you can prune your plant on and off throughout the year to use in recipes. “With it being an herb, you’re going to be snipping off sprigs at different times anyway,” Hird says. How to Prune Rosemary Plants Follow these steps to ensure you are pruning your rosemary plant right. Evaluate Plant Evaluate your plant’s overall look and determine where the plant is overgrowing. Then, Hird recommends cutting back any branches that are growing outside the general framework of the plant. Cut the overgrown areas of the plant, working your way around your rosemary to shape it as you like. Cut Away Damaged Areas While trimming, cut away broken or diseased sections of the plant. Just be sure to cut below the damaged areas. If you cut into the wood of the plant, these areas will not grow back, and you will be doing more harm than good. Help Its Growth If your goal is to make your plant smaller, this is the time to cut the taller sections of the plant. “For tall upright branches, cut them back by about a third to reduce the height,” Hird says. It's important to cut back a set of leaves or growth points since this helps with the continued growth. For branches that you haven’t cut, remove a short section above a leaf node. This will again encourage more growth later. How to Prune Young Rosemary Plants Still in their early growth stages, younger rosemary plants can easily be shaped into topiaries or trimmed lightly to encourage faster growth. Prune After Flowering Prune your rosemary in spring to early summer after it flowers. You don’t want to prune the plant too early because this could cause undue stress on the plant, as it's actively maturing. Cut Above the Leaf Node Be sure to cut just above a leaf node. “This is known as tip pruning. You just snip off the very tips of each branch to promote new growth,” Hird says. Shape Plants It's easy to shape younger rosemary plants into topiary spheres or hedges. If you like to shape your rosemary shrub, prune the stems a bit shorter until the plant takes the shape you want. Preserve Some Cuttings Save a few cuttings if you would like to propagate more rosemary plants. Younger rosemary plants, not older ones, are the easiest to propagate, as they are already actively growing all the time. Dip the cut end into a rooting hormone and plant the rosemary cutting in a pot to root. Use Rosemary Alternatively, if you don’t wish to plant more rosemary, this would be a great time to sample the plant in your recipes. Young, tender rosemary stems tend to be the most flavorful, adding the sweetest flavors to your dishes if you cut the sprigs of rosemary early in its life.

If you enjoy growing fresh herbs, then try adding apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) to your garden. This easy-to-grow perennial may become a new favorite for cool drinks, sweet additions to your dishes, and much more. Learn more about growing and caring for apple mint. About Apple Mint A member of the mint family, apple mint is an upright, herbaceous perennial herb often used as a ground cover. Hardy in USDA zones 5-9, apple mint spreads rapidly through rhizomes and can become invasive. If ingested, the leaves and stems are toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.1 Apple mint grows to two feet tall with large (2-inches long) light green, slightly hairy leaves and produces terminal spikes of small pink or white flowers in the summer that attract pollinators. The leaves have a milder mint flavor than some varieties with a light fruity hint of apple. Want more gardening tips? Sign up for our free gardening newsletter for our best-growing tips, troubleshooting hacks, and more! How to Care for Apple Mint Once established, apple mint is easy to grow by following these guidelines. Light In cooler growing areas, apple mint grows best in full sun. In areas of high temperatures, it needs some afternoon shade to protect the leaves from burning. When grown in shade, apple mint will become leggy and flop over. Soil The plant prefers well-draining, rich soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH but can adapt to most soil types. Water To produce fresh, tender leaves, apple mint requires regular watering and consistently moist soil. Fertilizer If apple mint is planted in poor soil, the plants should be fertilized about once per month (every 4 to 6 weeks) during the growing season. Container-grown apple mint will benefit from feeding with a water-soluble, balanced, all-purpose fertilizer (10-10-10 NPK) throughout the growing season, starting in spring when the plants emerge. Propagating Apple mint can be propagated by taking cuttings and rooting them in water. Take the cuttings in late spring to early summer when the plant is actively growing and before it has bloomed. Snip a stem that is four to six inches long and strip off the leaves from the lower half of the stem. Put the cutting in a container of water placed in an area with bright, indirect sunlight. Change the water every few days until the roots grow about two inches long. Plant in moist potting soil and keep it watered for three weeks until the roots are strong enough to transplant to the garden or a larger container. Why Apple Mint Makes a Great Companion Plant Like most mint plants, the menthol in the leaves of apple mint repels many insects making it a good companion plant for the garden. According to the University of Georgia Extension, mint repels cabbage moths, ants, mice, and fleas and is not inviting to deer.2 However, because mint spreads rapidly, the University suggests planting it in containers and placing them throughout the garden. How to Harvest and Use Apple Mint To keep apple mint plants thriving and producing more growth, cut a stem around four inches long rather than plucking individual leaves. Make your cut just above a pair of leaves to keep the plant bushier. By cutting the stem the plant will produce more stems and leaves. The most tender and tastiest leaves are at the tips. Harvest mint in the morning when the essential oils in the foliage are at their most potent. Regular harvesting is important for good-tasting apple mint. Once the plant produces flowers or goes to seed, the leaves can have a bitter note. How to Use Apple Mint Apple mint leaves can be eaten fresh in salads, brewed in hot water for tea, or added as a garnish to cool drinks. The leaves should be stored in the refrigerator. Loosely wrap the leaves in a damp paper towel and place them inside a perforated plastic bag to keep them fresh for 7 to 10 days. The leaves can also be frozen or dried. To freeze, rough-chop the leaves and pack them into ice cube trays. Add just enough water to act as a binder between the leaves, then freeze. Once solid, remove the mint ice cubes from the tray and put them in a freezer storage bag to use for drinks. To dry the apple mint leaves, use a dehydrator or hang the mint plants to air-dry. Crumble the leaves and store them in an air-tight glass container.