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Herbs

30 herbs you can grow from seed, from easy to challenging. 20 of them grow in pots.

Seeds
30
Easy to grow
21
Grow in pots
20
See all 30Filter by difficulty, sun or pots

30 seeds · A–Z

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Jump straight to the herbs that match your experience, your light and your space. Each count opens the seed list with that filter on.

Butterfly pea flower with bright blue petals and white center growing among green leaves on a vine

Seed up close

Butterfly Pea

Clitoria ternatea

Butterfly pea is a fast-growing vine with sky-blue flowers that you can start from seed in full sun. Its flowers are used as a natural food coloring.

Sprouts in
14–21 days
Sun
Full sun
Difficulty: EasyRead the full growing guide

Planting calendar

When to start each seed

Counted from your area's average last spring frost date. Find yours from a local weather service or garden center, then count back or forward.

  1. 8+ weeks before

    Start indoors early

  2. 4–7 weeks before

    Indoors or a cold frame

  3. From the last frost

    Sow at or after the last frost

Quick wins

Fastest to sprout

Days from sowing until the first shoots appear, in good conditions.

Pet friendly

Safe around cats and dogs

Listed as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. Each seed's page has the details.

Not safe for pets: borage, caraway, chives, lovage and 3 more.

Small spaces

Perfect for pots and balconies

Every seed here grows in a container. Where it's known, you'll see the smallest pot to use.

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Two seeds, every growing fact lined up, so you can pick the one that suits your space.

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Questions

Questions about growing herbs

How many herbs are on SeedBattle?
30 so far: basil, bee balm, borage, butterfly pea, caraway, chives, cilantro, creeping thyme, cumin, dandelion, elecampane, fennel, feverfew, garlic chives, genovese basil, hyssop, lemon balm, lovage, marjoram, mint, parsley, purple basil, red-veined sorrel, rosemary, sage, summer savory, thyme, wheatgrass, wild bergamot and yellow mustard. A new one appears here as soon as its page is published.
Which herbs are easiest to grow from seed?
21 are rated easy: basil, bee balm, borage, butterfly pea, chives, cilantro, creeping thyme, dandelion, fennel, feverfew, garlic chives, genovese basil, hyssop, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, parsley, purple basil, red-veined sorrel, summer savory and wheatgrass. 8 are rated moderate: caraway, cumin, elecampane, lovage, sage, thyme, wild bergamot and yellow mustard. 1 is rated challenging: rosemary. Our editors rate each seed by how easily it grows from seed.
Which herbs grow in pots?
20 of the 30: basil, borage, chives, cilantro, creeping thyme, fennel, feverfew, garlic chives, genovese basil, hyssop, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, parsley, purple basil, red-veined sorrel, rosemary, sage, summer savory and thyme, going by our editors' research. Where the smallest pot to use is known, you'll find it on the seed's page.
Can I narrow the herbs down further?
Yes. The seed list filters them by difficulty, by sun and by whether they grow in pots, and you can combine the filters.
Where do the growing facts come from?
Every growing fact is researched and reviewed by our editors before a seed page goes live.

Weighing up two herbs?

Put up to three seeds side by side and compare germination, spacing, sun, water, frost tolerance and pet safety.

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