Compare herbs by the garden you have.
Side-by-side comparisons for herbs that compete for the same bed, or get confused with each other.
Root crops
Astragalus vs codonopsis vs licorice
Three roots with different water, light and patience requirements — compared by site, years to harvest and failure risk.
Flower teas
Chamomile vs calendula vs chrysanthemum
Three daisy-family flowers compared by harvest stage, drying and safety — not by medicinal claims.
Dry, sunny herbs
Rosemary vs thyme vs lavender
Three Mediterranean plants for a hot, free-draining bed — compared by pruning, harvest and winter risk.
Part-shade herbs
Lemon balm vs sweet violet vs codonopsis
Three plants for a shaded garden, compared by soil moisture, harvest and the support they need.
Fruit shrubs and vines
Goji vs schisandra vs jujube
Three woody fruit crops compared by pollination, years to fruit and the space they need.
Mint-family leaves
Peppermint vs lemon balm vs sage
Three Lamiaceae leaves with very different water, containment and pruning needs — compared for a small garden.
Wet-corner herbs
Nettle vs dong quai vs schisandra
Three moisture-loving plants for a damp, shaded corner — compared by harvest, containment and the support they need.
Daisy-family harvests
Burdock vs elecampane vs milk thistle
Three Asteraceae plants with very different harvests: a taproot, a big perennial root and a spiny seed head.
Autumn harvest
Ginkgo vs jujube vs chrysanthemum
Three autumn harvests — leaf, fruit and flower — compared by timing, space and the safety detail that matters.
Comparisons are added when there is a real growing decision to support, not to fill a category. More will appear as the library grows.
What a comparison is for.
A comparison is a decision tool, not a league table. It puts the trade-offs in one place: root run, water, years to harvest, support, containment and the failure mode that costs the plant.
- Fit first. The right plant for a wet clay corner is not the right plant for a dry bank.
- Time is a cost. A two-year root and a four-year root are different commitments.
- Safety is a gate. A caution is a reason to read the profile and speak to a clinician, not a ranking penalty.
- No fake trials. These tables are editorial syntheses of cited sources, not side-by-side yield trials.