Feature photo above: lovage, a mild herb that is great in salads.
Cool Season in the Southwest is the time that all manner of tasty annual herbs from cool climates come into their own. Many of these can very easily be grown in containers and thus make beautiful décor for your patio.
Selecting Cool Season Herbs
Cool season herbs feature many plants in the carrot family. They have very similar care needs – so pick any of these. Some are fairly hard to find in nurseries, so you might have to grow from seed. Most of these herbs will bolt (send up a flower stalk) next April, but that’s a good thing – it brings in pollinators.
Carrot Family Herbs
anise
asafoetida
caraway
chervil
cilantro
coriander (seeds of cilantro)
cumin
dill
fennel
lovage
parsley, including parsley root
sea holly (requires VERY sandy soil)
Science Nerd Shares
Technically the “seeds” of members of the carrot family are “dry fruits,” each containing a single seed. Easier for the general reader to just call them “seeds.” I put this note here just in case some Botany pedant is out there, ready to correct me!
Some Other Cool Season Herbs to Try
While not in the carrot family, these herbs like the same growing conditions – starting with cooler temperatures and cooler soils. Some on this list are considered perennial but simply do not appreciate the heat of Low and Middle Desert gardens. Just plant them as annuals and skip trying to baby them thru the summer.
borage
catnip
chamomile (annual German chamomile, not Roman)
clary sage
feverfew
horehound
nigella (love in a mist)
peppergrass (considered a weed by some) – here’s a YouTube video
How to grow these Cool Season Herbs is an article in the main section of the website.
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