Aromatic and Medicinal Trees

Here is another one of my charts- this time for growing aromatic and medicinal trees.

Name	Zone		Light preference	Soil preference	Water Preference	Plant width/height	Special considerations
Camphor		9-11, some sources claim 8 also.	Full sun to partial shade	Well drained, tolerant. 5.5-8	Drought tolerant. Water deeply but infrequently if soil dries out.	50-70’, 40-50’	Try to plant seeds as soon as possible after removing from the fruit, to have greater chances of viability, and soak seeds in warm water 24 hours before planting to encourage sprouting.    Be careful where planting as the camphor can inhibit germination of plants surrounding it.
Eucalyptus Globulus		7-11	Full sun, some varieties tolerate partial shade.	Tolerant, prefers well drained moderately fertile loam to sandy loam. 5.5-6.4	Water as needed, enough to keep the soil from drying out.	49’ ,150-180’ (blue gum) Other varieties vary in width and height.	In their natural habitat, Eucalyptus trees benefit from regular natural forest fires, which burn their dead leaves and help return nutrients to the soil.
Gingko Biloba		4-9	Full sun to partial shade	Well drained, tolerant. Sandy loam is best. 5-5.5	Low water needs drought tolerant.	15-30’, 30’+	Interesting bark and colorful fall foliage. Yellow flowers bloom in the spring.      Stratification Research suggests that 2 months of exposure to cold temperatures can improve ginkgo seed germination.    Scarification. To improve germination rate, chip the seeds with a sharp knife or rub against abrasive material to crack or weaken the seed coat. Then soak the seeds in water 24 hours before planting.
Moringa		9-11	Full sun	Well drained, sandy soil. 5-8	Drought tolerant. Water as needed if soil becomes dry for several days.	15’, 20-36’	A very useful tree, edible leaves, seeds, roots. Seeds can be used to purify water.
Neem		9-11	Full sun	Moderately fertile loam. Tolerates poorer soil types, as long as they drain well. 6.2-7	Water moderately if soil becomes dry. Drought tolerant once established.	40-50’, 50-65’	Neem is a very useful tree, used in many preparations from insect repellant to toothpaste.
Sandalwood		9-11	Full sun	Moderately fertile, well draining sandy loam or loam. 6-8	Keep seedlings moderately moist, drought tolerant once established.	20’+,40-50’	Sandalwood is root hemiparasitic, which means it needs another plant nearby to provide nitrogen to its roots.    Pink silk tree, cassia (Chinese cinnamon), Erythrina, Erythroxylon (where coca leaves used to make cocaine come from), cotton plant, pongamia, Nux Vomica (strychnine tree), teak tree, Indian tulip tree(thespesia populnea), Chaste tree (agnus castus/vitex), acacia. are all types of plants listed as suitable partners for Sandalwood.
Witch Hazel		3-9	Part shade to full sun.	Well draining, with plenty of organic matter. 4.5-6.5	Water moderately enough to keep soil from drying out for the first year- rainfall should suffice after that.	15’, 30’	Only prune during the winter months when the plant is dormant. Witch hazel seeds tend to need periods of cold then warm temperatures to gerrminate. You can look up how to simulate temperature changes for sprouting witch hazel on the net for more details.

Continuation

Name	Propagation	Sowing Season	Germination rate/Time	Time to Maturity	Native Origin
Camphor	Seeds.	September-November	1-6 months	Harvest leaves in late March to May.	The Orient.
Eucalyptus Globulus	Seeds, cuttings and grafting are possible but difficult.	Mid to late spring or fall.	7-10 days	3-3.5 years	Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia.
Gingko Biloba	Seeds, cuttings	Fall	1 month- 1 year	15-20 years	China
Moringa	Seeds or cuttings	Anytime but winter	3 days – 1 week	Bears fruit in 1st year.	Northern India
Neem	Seeds are easiest and most common way. Cuttings, suckers, roots, tissue culture.	Anytime but winter	1-3 weeks	Bears fruit in 3-5 years.	India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
Sandalwood	Seeds, air-layering, cuttings.	Early spring	4-8 weeks	Bears fruit at 5-10 years of age.	Western Australia
Witch Hazel	Suckers, cuttings, seeds can take over 1 year to germinate.	Take a softwood cutting in the mid-spring	30-90 days	4-7 years	Eastern United states.

Herb and Spice Chart

   Yet another one of my charts for figuring out how to grow plants-this time, herbs and spices. Most on the chart are suitable for South Florida, unless otherwise specified. Happy gardening!

Thanks to http://www.heirloom-organics.com/guide/guidetogrowingherbs.html for some of this info, and all the other random internet sites I harvested snippets of information from.

As you can see, the chart is split into two pages, for easier viewing on a typical computer screen. Feel free to copy, paste, and use as you wish.

Plant Name	Zone	Light Preference	Soil Preference & Ph	Water Preference	Size (height x width)	Special considerations
Aloe	9-11	Full sun to light shade	Well drained, gritty and sandy soils 6.1-7.8	Keep dry during winter and soak between dryings in the summer.	1-3’ x 1.5 - 4’	In most of Florida, rainfall should be plenty for an aloe plant. Being a succulent, they are great at conserving water and enjoy a dry climate.
Basil	3-10	Full sun at least 6 hours	Well drained, fertile soil 5.5-6.5	Keep soil lightly damp	1-2’ x 8-12”
Basil, holy (tulsi)	7-11	Full to filtered sun	Light, well drained, rich soil 5.5-6.5	Keep soil on the dry side of moist	1-2’ x 2-3’
Bay Laurel	5-10	Full to part sun	Well drained, moderate amount of organic matter, tolerant 6.2-7.5	Water deeply when soil dries 1-2” below the surface	35-60’ x 20-25’	You can start harvesting Bay leaves once the plant is around 2 years old.   Nice for mixing in potpourri.
Bergamot	4-10	Full sun to partial shade	Well drained, sandy loam. 6.1-6.5	Water moderately if soil dries out.	30-32” x 12”
Catnip	3-10	Full to part sun	Well drained, sandy 6-7.5	Water deeply as needed to keep soil lightly moist	1-3’ x 15-18”	Place wooden dowels around the catnip to prevent your feline friends from rolling too much and crushing the plant.    Seeds are ready to harvest when the blooms begin to turn brown and dry
Chives	3-9	Full sun to part shade	Sandy soil rich in organic matter 6-8	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist	12-18” x 5-9”
Cilantro	3-11	Full sun to part shade.	Well drained, moderate to high in organic matter 6.1-7.5	Water as needed to keep soil lightly moist	5-24” x 6”
Cinnamon	10+	Full sun to part shade	Sandy soil mixed with hummus, but tolerant to many soils 5.3-6.5	Water as needed when soil dries out- do not flood	6-20’ up to 50’ x 25-40’
Clove tree	10-11	Full sun- part shade	Rich, loamy soil, not enough information available yet on ph.	Water as needed to keep soil moist- do not flood	35’ x 25’	Flower buds are harvested when they turn purple.
Comfrey	4-9	Prefers full sun but tolerates shade	Tolerant, enjoys Fertile compost 6-7.	Keep soil moist with deep waterings	3-5’ x 20”
Curry Tree	8-11	Full sun to part shade	Light, fertile soil, 5.6-6.	Allow soil to dry out between waterings.	15-20’ x 15-20’	Curry seeds lose viability quickly and so must be germinated soon after harvesting.
Garlic		Full sun tolerates part shade	Well draining loamy, fertile soil 6-7	Water enough Keep soil moist, but let dry out near end of growing seson to enhance flavor	18-24” x 4-6”	softneck varieties of garlic recommended for zone 8+
Ginger	7+	Light shade to filtered sun	Rich, well drained 5.5-6.5	Water enough to keep soil lightly moist	3-4’ x 24-36”
Lavender	5-10 (French)	Full sun to partial shade	Gritty to sandy loam 6-8	Water only when establishing	1-3’ x 18-36”	Lavender prefers dry weather and may be unsuitable for many areas of FL, unless protected from excess moisture. French lavender is more suitable for warm areas.
Lemon Balm	3-9	Enjoys shade especially in warmer climates	Dry, sandy with organic matter 6-7	Likes to be dry- Drought tolerant	1-3’ x 1-2’
Lemon-grass	9-11	Full sun to part shade	Well drained, rich with organic material 5.5-7.5	High water requirement, keep soil from becoming dry.	3-6’ x 2-3’
Marigold	9-11	Full sun to part shade (in hotter areas)	Moderately fertile loam, tolerant of lower fertility soil. 6-7.5	Water moderately to keep soil lightly moist	12-15” x 9-12”	Easy to grow and blooms in the late spring – fall. Pinching off dead flowers helps marigolds stay healthy and bloom more.
Mint	3-10	Partial shade	Moderately fertile soil. 7-8	Water enough to keep soil lightly moist	1-4’ x 1-2’ depend-ing on variety Spearmint- 3-4’	Mint has the potential to become invasive in some areas, so keep an eye on it and take measures to hem it back if it starts taking over.
Nasturtium	3-11 Annual above zone 9	Full sun to part shade.	Light soils with moderate to low fertility. 5.5-7.5	Low water requirement, water a bit if soil is thoroughly parched	9-16” x 12-18”	Certain sources disagree on how much sun nasturtiums prefer, so try moving potted plants into sunnier or shadier areas and observing the results in blooms and leaves.
Nutmeg	10-11	Partial shade when young, more sun as it develops	Well drained and rich in organic matter 5.5-6.5	Water as needed to maintain light moisture. Do not flood.	26-40’ up to 98’ x 20-23’	Old lightweight seeds that rattle are not likely to be viable.    Trees need to be shaded for their first 6-7 years of growth.
Oregano	5-9	Full sun	Well drained, not fussy, prefers slight alkalinity. 6-8	Let soil dry out a bit between waterings.	30” x 12-15”
Parsley	3-11	Full sun to part shade	Well drained, moderately rich in organic matter 5-7	Water regularly, to keep soil moderately moist.	12-18” x 9-12”	Soak seeds in warm water overnight before planting to speed germination.
Rosemary	8-10	Sun to part sun	Light, well drained, sandy soil high in organic matter 6-7.5	Drought tolerant. Water when first establishing plant. Let soil dry out between waterings.	3-6’ x 18-24”	Soaking seeds overnight before planting can help soften the seedcoat and sprout the plant.
Rue	4-9	Sun to partial shade	Avareage to poor sandy soil 6-8	Water when soil becomes dry. Don’t over-water.	18”-3’ x 5-18”	Be careful about touching rue, as some people report developing sensitivity and blisters from handling it.
Sage	4-8	Full sun	Light, well drained with organic matter but tolerant of poor soil	Let soil dry out between waterings	2-3’ up to 6’ x 2-3’
Summer Savory	8-11	Full Sun	Well drained, rich in organic matter 6.1-7.8	Keep on the dry side but water enough to keep it from drying out completely.	6”-2’ x 1-2”
Thyme	4-10	Sun	Well drained, light, sandy or loamy 6-8	Water when soil dries out.	1-18” x 18-24”	Division is the best way to spread thyme plants.
Turmeric	8-11	Sun to part shade	Well drained, rich in organic matter 6.1-7.8	Water as needed to maintain lightly moist soil.	3-5’ x 9-12”
Verbena/ Vervain	5-10	Full sun, part shade in warm areas	Well drained, moderately high organic matter 6-8	Water when soil dries out	6-10” x 10-12”
Vetiver	9-11	Full to partial sun	Various soil conditions 6-8, some sources report wider ph tolerance, such as 3-11.	Drought and flood tolerant	Clumps 19”- 5’ tall	Very difficult to dig up, due to the long, deep root system -plant carefully. Useful to prevent erosion.

Plant Name	Propagation	Sowing Season(specifically in S. Florida)	Germination time	Native Origin
Aloe	Seeds, cuttings, root division	For most herbs, late summer to early fall and after danger of frost is the best time to sprout seeds in Fl. For heat loving plants (zone 8+), sprouting can also be done in the Summertime. Protect delicate seedlings from full sun in the summer by sprouting them in medium shade and gradually adapt them to more sun over a period of a few weeks for best results. Plant garlic when cold weather is approaching.	1-4 months	Africa/ Northern Africa
Basil	Seeds or cuttings		5-10 days	India
Basil, holy (tulsi)	Seeds or cuttings		Up to 30 days	India
Bay Laurel tree	Seeds and cuttings		10 days – 6 months	Mediterranean
Bergamot	Seeds, root division, cuttings		14-21 days	Eastern North America
Catnip	Seeds, cuttings, divisions.		7-10 days	Southern Europe
Chives	Seed, root division.		10-14 days	Asia, eastern Europe
Cilantro	Seeds		10-15 days	Mediterranean Region
Cinnamon	Seeds, cuttings.		≈ 20 days	Sri Lanka, India
Clove tree	Seeds, cuttings.		10-15 days	Malucca Islands/ Indonesia
Comfrey	Seeds but cuttings are reported to be easier		8-10 days	Europe and Asia
Curry Tree	Seeds, stem cuttings.		About 10 days	South Asia
Garlic	Root division.		Mostly grown from cloves	Central Asia
Ginger	Rhizome division		Grown from rhizomes.	Southest (tropical) Asia
Lavender	Cuttings mostly, seeds.		2 weeks – 2 months	Mediterranean
Lemon Balm	Root division, cuttings, seeds, layering		2-3 weeks	Southern Europe to Northern Africa
Lemon-grass	Root division		21-40 days	India, Tropical Asia
Marigold	Seeds, cuttings		7-14 days	Southwestern North America to South America
Mint	Rhizome cuttings, stem cuttings, root division		8-14 days	Europe to Southwest Asia
Nasturtium	Seeds,  cuttings		7-14 days	South America and Mexico
Nutmeg	Seeds, air-layering		4-6 weeks	Spice islands, Indonesia
Oregano	Seeds, cuttings		8-14 days	Mediterranean
Parsley	Seeds, cuttings		3-4 weeks	Mediterranean
Rosemary	Cuttings, seeds		15-25 days	Mediterranean
Rue	Cuttings, seeds		7-24 days	Balkan Peninsula
Sage	Seed, root division, cuttings		5-21 days	Mediterranean coast
Summer Savory	Seeds		7-14 days	Mediterranean coast
Thyme	Seed, root division, cuttings		8-28 days	Mediterranean  coast
Turmeric	Rhizome division mainly, but seeding possible.		Not usually grown from seed.	South Asia
Verbena/ Vervain	Cuttings		14-28 days	Europe
Vetiver	Root division		Seeds are viable for only a short period of time.	Northern India/southern China