Growing Heirloom Plants

What is an heirloom plant? For our purposes, this term refers to plants grown in gardens for many centuries. Below is information about growing heirloom plants known to early gardeners, followed by descriptions of these plants from early sources.

• Agrimony - Agrimonia eupatoria odorata

  • Agrimony in early sources
     

• Asparagus - Asparagus officinalis

  • Asparagus in early sources
     

• Betony - Stachys betonica/officinalis

  • Betony in early sources
     

• Brassicas - Cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, and turnips
   

• Calendula - Calendula officinalis

  • Calendula in early sources
     

• Catnip - Nepeta cataria

  • Catnip in early sources
     

• Clary sage - Salvia sclarea
   

• Coriander - Coriandrum sativa

  • Coriander in early sources
     

• Elderberry - Sambucus nigra

  • Elderberry in early sources
     

• Hazel - Corylus avellana

  • Hazel in early sources

• Horehound - Marrubium vulgare

  • Horehound in early early sources
     

• Pennyroyal - Mentha pulegium

  • Pennyroyal in early sources
     

• Madonna lily - Lilium candidum

  • Madonna lily in early sources
     

• Medlar - Mespilus germanicum

  • Medlars in early sources
     

• Mullein - Verbascum thapsus

  • Mullein in early sources
     

• Peony - Paeonia officinalis

  • Peony in early sources
     

• Rosa and the Apothecary rose - Rosa gallica officinalis

  • Roses in early sources
     

• Wormwood, Artemesia absinthium

  • Wormwood in early sources