GRAPE VINE
(Hebrew: gephen) Vitis vinifera Symbolic of the Hebrew people, and later of the Church at large, it is referenced throughout the Bible. The vine was cultivated before the flood of Noah. The vines were considered to be very valuable. Egyptian grapes were small. The Israelites were surprised when they saw the large clusters of grapes brought by the spies from Eschol to Moses' camp.
~Numbers 13:23, 26~ "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman." ~John 15:1~
~Micah 4:3, 4 ~
~Genesis 9:20, 21~


~Job 15:33~
~Solomon 7:12~

GRASS
~1Peter 1:24~
"For, All flesh is as grass, And all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth:"

~Psalm 103:15~
~James 1:10,11~

HORSERADISH
Eaten at the Last Supper

HYSSOP
The name hyssop comes from the Greek hussopos and the Hebrew esob meaning 'holy herb.' Because of its strong camphor-like odor, it was used historically as a cleansing herb. In the seventeenth century, it was used as a strewing herb in sick rooms and to cleanse lepers, as noted in biblical writings. Hyssop was often referred to as the herb used in purification ~Psalm 51:7~ The Jews in Egypt were told to use it during passover and the medicinal use of Hyssop can be found in ~John 19:29-30~ Solomon must have been a very wise for in proof of his wisdom this passage can be found:~ 1 Kings 4:33~
The biblical hyssop - the plant which is called hyssopus officinalis is native to southern Europe but not to the Holy Land or to Egypt - therefore the hyssop that we grow is not the one from the bible. That one could have been - according to bible authorities - marjoram, the caper plant, sorghum, the maidenhair spleenwort or the allrue.

~1 Kings 4:33~
And he spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall; he spake also of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

~Exodus 12:22~
~Leviticus 14:4,6,51,52~
~Hebrews 9:19~
~Numbers 19:6~
~John 19:29~
~Psalms 51:7~
~Matthew 27:48~
~Mark 15:36~

LILY
(Hebrew - shushan or shoshan) Iris palaestina The Hebrew which means "whiteness", was used as the general name of several plants common to Syria, such as the tulip, iris, anemone, gladiolus, ranunculus, etc. The lilies spoken of in the New Testament were probably the scarlet martagon (Lilium Chalcedonicum) or "red Turk's-cap lily", which "comes into flower at the season of the year when our Lord's sermon on the mount is supposed to have been delivered. It is abundant in the district of Galilee; and its fine scarlet flowers render it a very conspicous and showy object, which would naturally attract the attention of the hearers" (Balfour's Plants of the Bible). The Palestine iris is delicate in color, a soft lemon and slight orchid-blue shade. The Greek word for iris means rainbow.
~Song of Solomon 2:1~
I am the rose of Sharon, A the lily of the valleys.

~Hosea 14:5~
~Matthew 6:28~
~Luke 12:27~
~Solomon 5:13~
~1 Kings 7:26; 7:22~
~Cant 2:2-3~
~Hos 14:5~
~2Esdr 5:24.22~
~Ecclesiasticus 50:8~
~Sir 39:14.13~

LARKSPUR
Flowers of the Field
~Isaiah 40:6~
The voice of one saying, Cry. And one said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field.

~James 1:9-10~

MALLOW
Mallow was cut up by Job for food. This plant is the saltwort plant, which is a saline plant something like spinach and eaten by the poor in Palestine. They pluck salt-wort by the bushes; And the roots of the broom are their food.

~Job 30:4~
Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots [for] their meat.

MANDRAKE
(Hebrew: dudaim) Mandragora officinarum The mandrake belongs to the potato family and grows in abundance throughout Syria and all of southern Europe. The mandrake root is quite large. It is dark brown with a peculiar resemblance to the shape of a human body. This unusual shape accounts for superstition that has been associated with it from earliest times. The Jews beleived the mandrake to be a charm against evil. The story of Rachel and Leah, indicate to us that this plant was thought to make one become fertile.
It is also known as the love apple.

~Genesis 30:14, 16~
And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.

MINT
Mint was well known as being used for flavoring food as it still is today. Some bible experts say mint was among the "bitter herbs" mentioned in the bible along with leaves of endive, chicory, lettuce, watercress, sorrel, and dandelions. All of these eaten as a salad. Mint was eaten after eating as a form of digestive aiding. Often used in temple offerings.
~Matthew 23:23~
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin....

~Luke 11:42~

MYRRH
This is used for making a wash for infections. It was used by the Egyptians and Hebrews for incense, cosmetics, perfumes, and medicines. It was also used at that time for embalming. It was considered, as was Frankincense, a rare treasure and was so thought to be a great gift for Baby Jesus ! Myrhh is a gummy resin derived from the shrub - Commiphora, which is found in Arabia and Abyssinia. Another name for garden myrhh is sweet cicely. This plant has fern like foliage with dull white flowers and grows to be about 3 feet tall.

MYRTLE
Hebrew: hadas) Myrtus communis It is abundant in certain localities of the Middle East. This plant was sacred to Venus and the name was taken from the Greek word meaning "perfume." Its Hebrew name means "sweetness." This plant was prized for its fragrant leaves and from it were made wreaths to crown the nobility. The Jews collect the boughs to adorn sheds and booths during the Feast of Tabernacles. It bears beautiful white flowers and its scent is considered more exquisite than that of the rose. Myrtle was carefully cultivated by the Romans of ancient times. In modern times the leaves have been used in Italy as a spice, and in Syria all parts of the plant are dried for their perfume.

~Nehemiah 8:15~
Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and branches of wild olive, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

~Isaiah 41:19~
~Isaiah 55:13~
~Zechariah 1:8~

NARCISSUS
(Hebrew: chabazeleth) Narcissus tazetta It is found growing wild in the desert from the Mediterranean Sea to the center of Israel. The central crown or corona gets its name from the Italian word tazza, meaning "a cup." The original Hebrew word means rose, a bulbous plant, so it cannot be a rose bush. The accepted view is that this is a reference to the Narcissus tazetta, which is yellow in color. The earliest Chaldean paraphrase of the Holy Bible gives the Hebrew word narkum, meaning narcissus, and the Talmud also uses narkum. The Persians call it norgus, polyanthus narcissus.

~Isaiah 35:1, 2~ The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God.

OLEANDER
The oleander is the "rose tree" or the rose found growing by the water, as it is referred to in the Bible.

OLIVE
The olive tree was the most important fruit and oil tree of Palestine in Biblical times

PARSLEY
Parsley although not mentioned in the bible was abundant and was used at the passover as a symbol of a new beginning because it was one of the first herbs to pop up in the spring. The Romans served it at banquets as a breath freshener. Petroselinum crispum Parsley is thought to have originated in Sardinia, but the plant has been altered significantly by cultivation. In mythology, parsley was believed to have sprung from a Greek hero, Archemorous, the forerunner of death. Greeks crowned winners at the Isthmian games with parsley, and warriors fed the leaves to their horses.

PALM
The word "Palestine" means "land of palms" and the date palms grown today, are the same variety referred to in the Bible.

POMEGRANATES - The prominence of the pomegranate fruit in early Bible times is shown by its use as a motif in much of the temple architecture.

~Solomon 4:13-14~
Thy shoots are an orchard of pomegranates, with precious fruits; Henna with spikenard plants...

ROSE
~Isaiah 35:1~
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

SAFFRON OR CROCUS
(Hebrew: karkom) Crocus sativus During the Biblical times the saffron was used as a condiment, sweet perfume, and food coloring. The stigmas are a bright orange, dry, narrow, and threadlike. They have a peculiar, aromatic odor, a bitter taste and stain the lips. The flower grows from a bulb. Its color is pure lavender, and it has a delicate scent. It is said that benches in public theaters had saffron laid across them and the petals were placed in small fountains in order to scent public halls. In Europe, it is used as flavor, a coloring ingredient, and in some medicines. One grain of commercial saffron contains the stigmas of nine flowers and about four thousand blossoms yield only one ounce.

~Solomon 4:14~
Spikenard and saffron, Calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; Myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices.

SPIKENARD
~Solomon 1:12~
While the king sat at his table, My spikenard sent forth its fragrance.

~Solomon 4:13-14 ~

STAR OF BETHELEM or DOVE'S DUNG
(Hebrew: chiryonim)Ornithogalum umbellatum Doves dung is the bulb of a lovely white flower that grows abundantly throughout the Holy Land. It means "bird's milk." The stalk grows to about six inches and its long, ribbon-like leaves are a clear green. This bulb was valued in times of famine because it was dug up, dried, roasted and was eaten roasted or ground into flour. Even in Italy today, the bulbs are eaten like chestnuts after roasting or cooking. For centuries Syrians used it for food.

~2 Kings 6:25~
(KJV) And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.

STACTE
~Exodus 30:34~
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight;

THISTLE
~Genesis 3:18~
thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

WATER LILY
~Leviticus 23:40~
And ye shall take you on the first day the fruit of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days.

~Psalms 137:2~
~Job 40:22~
~Isaiah 15:7~
~Isaiah 44:4~

WILLOW
~Eze 17:5~
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed [it] by great waters, [and] set it [as] a willow tree

WORMWOOD
(Hebrew: laanah) Artemisia judaica The first mention of the herb is in the Ebers papyrus, a medical document dating to 1550 B.C. The Egyptians used it as a vermifuge, as did many later cultures, and the name "wormwood" may refer to this property of ridding the body of worms. The name might also be a corruption of the German "vermut", which means 'preserver of the mind'--referring to its other well-known property of altering mental states.
Wormwood is found in the Bible relating to bitterness. The bitter juice is produced by Artemisia, a genus named after the Greek goddess Artemis. One variety was called "parthenia" or "virgin plant." The common wormwood of England has the name mugwort. Oil of wormwood is a source of absinthe. In ancient times the herb was steeped in wine to counteract the effect of alcohol. A Christian legend says that wormwood sprang up in the biblical serpent's trail as he left the Garden of Eden--as a barrier to prevent its return. Consequently, snakes are not supposed to enter a garden where wormwood grows.

~Revelation 8:10-11~ And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; .... And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

~Deuteronomy 29:18~
~Proverbs 5:3-4~
~Jeremiah 23:15~

YUCCA
The juice of this cactus like plant has been used for centuries to relieve nervous headaches.biblical people set aside plots specifically for herbs:

~1 KINGS 21:2~
Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house; and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it: