Pink flowers can add a pop of color and visual interest to any herb garden Their bright hues stand out against the predominant greens of most herb foliage When planning an herb garden, it can be helpful to know which herbs produce pink blooms so you can incorporate them for maximum impact.
There are many herbs that grow pink flowers and are used in cooking, as medicine, or as decorations. Take a look at this list of some of the most popular herbs with pink flowers.
Thymes
A lot of different herbs in the mint family are called thymes. They are grown for their culinary, medicinal, and decorative uses. A lot of thymes have bunches of tiny pink flowers on stems that are very thin.
Some thymes with pink flowers include:
-
Common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) – This is the most widely used culinary thyme. It has tiny leaves and bright pink-purple flowers.
-
Creeping thyme (Thymus serpyllum) – A low-growing thyme that makes an excellent groundcover. It has mats of small leaves and light pink flowers. Popular varieties include ‘Pink Chintz’ and ‘Coccineus’.
-
What is woolly thyme? It’s a fuzzy, gray-leafed thyme with soft pink flowers. Grows in a dense mat.
-
Thymus praecox, also known as “mother of thyme,” has dark green leaves and lots of light pink flowers.
Oreganos
Like thymes, oreganos belong to the mint family. They are grown for their robust flavor and pink summertime blooms.
-
Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum) – The most flavorful oregano for cooking. Produces hop-like lavender-pink flower spikes.
-
Italian oregano (Origanum x majoricum) – Similar to Greek oregano but with white or light pink flowers. Popular for pizza seasoning.
-
Golden oregano (Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’) – Features golden leaves and pale pink flowers. Used for ornamental value and seasoning.
Mint Family Herbs
In addition to thymes and oreganos, there are other culinary herbs in the mint family that produce pink blooms:
-
Lavender mint (Mentha x piperita f. citrata ‘Lavender’) – Mint cultivar with purple-flushed leaves and pale lavender flowers. Used for tea.
-
Pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens ‘Variegata’) – Variegated mint with pink or white flowers and a fruity aroma. Used in drinks, salads, and jellies.
-
Apple mint (Mentha suaveolens) – Features fuzzy, round leaves with a spearmint aroma and pink-purple flowers. Used for tea and potpourri.
Other Pink-Blooming Culinary Herbs
Beyond the mint family, other culinary herbs with pink flowers include:
-
Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) – Grows in clumps with white flowers that take on a pinkish hue. Leaves have a mild garlic flavor.
-
Salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor) – A perennial herb with serrated, oblong leaves and tiny pink flowers borne on spikes. Adds a cucumber flavor to salads, drinks, and vinegars.
-
Borage (Borago officinalis) – An annual herb with fuzzy gray-green foliage. Bears drooping clusters of star-shaped pink and blue flowers. Used in lemonade and tea.
-
Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) – Delicate annual herb used in French cuisine. Has lacy leaves and umbels of white flowers with pink stamens.
Medicinal Herbs with Pink Flowers
Some medicinal herbs also produce pink blooms. These include:
-
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) – Coneflowers with pink ray florets surrounding a prickly center. Used to support the immune system.
-
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) – Tall perennial that bears clusters of fragrant pale pink or white flowers. The roots are used as a sleep aid.
-
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca) – An upright perennial covered in tiny pink flowers. Used to treat anxiety, menstrual issues, and heart palpitations.
-
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – Fern-like aromatic foliage with flat clusters of tiny pink or white flowers. Used to treat colds, fever, and inflammation.
Ornamental Herbs with Pink Blooms
Lastly, the following herbs are primarily grown for their ornamental pink flowers:
-
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) – An aromatic woody perennial with blue, pink, or white flowers depending on variety.
-
Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii) – Features gray-green foliage and spikes of tubular lavender-pink flowers that attract bees and butterflies.
-
Mexican oregano (Poliomintha longiflora) – A perennial groundcover with small pink flowers and little culinary value despite its name.
-
Curry plant (Helichrysum italicum) – Grown for its fragrant silver foliage. Bears clusters of tiny pink or white flowers.
How to Use Pink-Flowering Herbs
The pink flowers of herbs not only provide visual appeal in the garden, but many are also edible. They can be used as garnishes in salads and desserts or infused into tea, vinegar, jelly, and cocktails for pops of color and flavor. Herbs with medicinal properties can be made into tinctures, teas, or skin oils to harness their beneficial compounds. Pink herb flowers also dry beautifully for potpourri, crafting, or decor.
With their diversity of flavors, fragrances, and uses, pink-blooming herbs are a versatile addition to any garden. Keep this guide handy when planning your herb beds and borders to ensure you include herbs with charming pink flowers. Their colorful blooms will give your garden month after month of beauty.
Part Two Includes information about:
| English Lavender |
| Meadowsweet |
Growing:Hardiness Zones: Angelica grows best in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to Soil: Prefers moist, rich, well-drained soil.Sun and Water: This plant likes full sun to partial shade and needs consistent watering, especially during hot days. Poor water maintenance can easily kill it.Color: White, beigeOther Tips:Angelica is a biennial. This means it completes its life cycle over the course of two years. It flowers in its second year, and then goes to seed.Start Angelica seeds indoors eight weeks before the last frost. Transplant seedlings outdoors after the danger of frost has passed.Angelica is a slow grower but has the potential to grow quite large. Its roots and seeds should be harvested in the second year.A Few Cautions and Reasons to Grow:While generally safe for most people, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid ingesting angelica.Contact with the leaves may cause skin irritation. (It’s always best to wear gloves when handling herbs with which you are unfamiliar.) Angelica has hollow stems that have been harvested and candied as a sweet treat for centuries. Angelica can also be used to make jams and jellies.Add angelica to your flowering herb garden if you want to create height in the space and enjoy the idea of growing a plant with a rich history. Making your own candied angelica stems might have some interest too, especially if you like to make candied ginger or citrus.
| Bee Balm |
- Pinching off spent flowers encourages continuous blooming.
- Bee balm can be invasive. It spreads through rhizome and seed propagation. Every three years, divide the plants and cut off the flowers before they turn into seeds to keep it under control.
- Bee balm flowers and leaves with sharp edges can be eaten and used in teas and salads.
- This plant attracts pollinators like hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
- Dried bee balm flowers are an excellent addition to potpourri.
- Bee Balm is susceptible to powdery mildew. Provide plants with good air circulation and dont overcrowd them. It’s better to water in the morning than at night, and you should water from the bottom up. Drip irrigation is an excellent watering method.
- Bee balm could be added to your flowering herb garden if you want low-maintenance plants.
| Borage |
- Deadheading spent flowers encourages continuous blooming.
- Borage self-sows readily, so keep it contained.
- Borage flowers that have been candied are often used to decorate baked goods. They also look nice frozen into ice cubes and added to summer drinks.
| Candied borage flowers |
- Borage has a small amount of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in it, which can be harmful in large amounts. Consume this flowering herb in moderation.
| Calendula |
- As with many flowering herb plants, pinching off the spent flowers (called “deadheading”) keeps the plant blooming all season and stops it from spreading seeds on its own.
- Calendula may cause an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to daisies or ragweed, so be careful when adding it to your garden.
| Chamomile |
- You can plant chamomile seeds outside in early spring or indoors a few weeks before your area’s last frost date.
- The plant’s small flowers are what people usually use. They can be picked fresh or dried and used in crafts, potpourris, or teas to calm you down. Chamomile tea smells pleasantly of apples and hay.
- People who are allergic to ragweed or daisies may also be allergic to chamomile.
- People are interested in using this flowering herb for a number of medical conditions. Records of its use as medicine go back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. However, using chamomile to treat digestive problems, anxiety, diabetes, and other conditions is not a replacement for medical care.
| Dwarf chamomile ground cover |
| Chives in bloom |
- Divide chives every three years or so to prevent overcrowding. You can eat chives flowers, and they taste great in salads. They are an attractive garnish, too.
- The flowering herb chives is most often used for its leaves. During the growing season, they can be picked by cutting them off with scissors. Don’t take more than a third of the plant at a time when you’re harvesting.
- If you want to use chives all winter, you could chop up bunches, mix them with water, and freeze them into ice cubes. It’s also possible to dry the chives, but after a few months, they lose their flavor.
- People who are allergic to onions or other allium plants may also be allergic to chives.
- Making vinegar with chives is a classic herb project that you can do with chives. Chive flowers not only make the vinegar taste great (like onions), but they also turn it a deep red color.
| Comfrey bell blossoms |
- Comfrey is a fast-growing spreader. It should be planted somewhere it can roam, or it should be kept in a pot.
- You can add comfrey leaves and roots to your compost pile because they are high in nitrogen. Comfrey works best when it is composted before it is added to soil.
- Wear gloves when handling comfrey to avoid skin irritation. Do not consume this herb internally in any form.
| Curry Plants everlasting flowers |
- Curry Plant is a low-maintenance perennial in warmer zones.
- Prune after flowering to maintain a compact and attractive shape.
- Happily this plant is pest and disease resistant.
- The strong fragrance may not be for everyone. If you think it smells good, though, you might want to plant it near your kitchen window or deck.
- Excessive handling of leaves may irritate sensitive skin.
- Curry plant is a good choice for gardeners who want a fragrant, low-maintenance border shrub that will do well in a sunny spot that drains well.
| Dill |
| Dill vinegar with a decorative dill flower. |
- Dill is an annual flowering herb. That means it grows, sets seeds, and then dies all in one season.
- You can plant it outside right away in early spring, or you can start it inside a few weeks before the last frost in your area.
- Most of the time, the leaves and seeds of this flowering herb are used. During the growing season, you can enjoy fresh leaves. In late summer, when the flower heads dry out and turn brown, the seeds are collected.
- Dill plants tend to “bolt,” or flower more, early in the summer, which means they make fewer leaves. Some of the newer varieties are made to keep the leaves from bolting too soon, since they are usually the most valuable part of the plant.
- Dill has a strong taste that some people might not like. Start with a small amount and change the amounts in your recipes as needed.
- Dill flowers make an attractive garnish.
| Echinacea |
- Deadheading encourages robust blooming.
- Echinacea readily self-sows. To control its spread, remove spent flowers before seeds develop.
- The parts of the plant that grow above ground are most often used for medical reasons.
- Some individuals may experience allergic reactions to this flowering herb. Consult with a healthcare professional before using it medicinally.
- Note: Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as people who have autoimmune diseases, should never use echinacea.
| Evening Primrose |
- As with many herbs and other plants, deadheading encourages flowering.
- Use some caution as this plant self-sows aggressively.
- When used as medicine, the most common part of the evening primrose plant is the oil that is extracted from the seeds. It is important to talk to your doctor before trying to treat yourself with any herb. ).
- There are some pyrrolizidine alkaloids in evening primrose, and too much of them can be harmful.
- This simple herb that flowers is a great choice for a wildflower garden.
| Feverfew |
- The plant’s leaves are most often used for their possible health benefits.
- Feverfew is safe for most people to grow in their gardens, but people who are allergic to ragweed or daisies may have allergic reactions to it.
- Feverfew is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
- Before taking feverfew as medicine, talk to a doctor or nurse because it can interact with both prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
This Pink Flower Can Boost Your Mood and Bring You Out of a Funk
FAQ
Which herb has pink flowers?
Rosebay willowherb is a tall plant with pink flowers rising up a flower spike. It has lance-like leaves that are arranged in spiral formation up its stem.
What North American herb has white or pink flowers?
Its flowers are white or pale pink. American willowherb, also known as fringed willowherb, is a fast-growing, clump-forming perennial that was introduced to the UK and is now widely naturalised. It can reach a height of 1m (3½ft) and has narrow, finely toothed leaves.
What herb has scarlet flowers?
As both its scientific name of coccinea (meaning “scarlet dyed”) and common names of scarlet sage and blood sage suggest, this herbaceous perennial in the mint family (Lamiaceae) has bright red flowers.
What is the name of the plant with pink flowers?
Azaleas are known for their vibrant and abundant pink blossoms. These flowering shrubs thrive in acidic soil and create a stunning display when they bloom in spring.