Yerba buena

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2' tall yerba buena in garden YerbaBuena2ftTall.jpg
2' tall yerba buena in garden

Yerba buena or hierba buena is the Spanish name for a number of aromatic plants, most of which belong to the mint family. Yerba buena translates as "good herb". The specific plant species regarded as yerba buena varies from region to region, depending on what grows wild in the surrounding landscape, or which species is customarily grown in local gardens. Perhaps the most common variation of this plant is spearmint ( Mentha spicata ). The term has been (and is currently) used to cover a number of aromatic true mints and mint relatives of the genera Clinopodium , Satureja or Micromeria . All plants so named are associated with medicinal properties, [1] [2] [3] and some have culinary value as herbal teas or seasonings as well.

Contents

Local variants

In the western United States, yerba buena most often refers to the species Clinopodium douglasii [4] (synonyms: Satureja douglasii, Micromeria douglasii), but may rarely refer to Eriodictyon californicum , which is more commonly known as yerba santa.

In parts of Central America yerba buena often refers to Eau de Cologne mint, a true mint sometimes called "bergamot mint" with a strong citrus-like aroma that is used medicinally and as a cooking herb and tea.[ citation needed ]

In Cuba, yerba buena generally refers to Mentha nemorosa , a popular plant also known as large apple mint, foxtail mint, hairy mint, woolly mint or, simply, Cuban mint.[ citation needed ]

In Puerto Rico a close relative of traditional culinary savory, Clinopodium vimineum (formerly Satureja viminea), is sometimes used.[ citation needed ]

In Colombia, Yerba Buena is known for having many medicinal purposes, As it helps with digestion and Bilis activity and with Inflammation. The herb is mostly located in the Andino region of the country. Cundinamarca and Antioquia.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lamiaceae</span> Family of flowering plants that includes sage and mint

The Lamiaceae or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, marjoram, oregano, hyssop, thyme, lavender, and perilla, as well as other medicinal herbs such as catnip, salvia, bee balm, wild dagga, and oriental motherwort. Some species are shrubs, trees, or, rarely, vines. Many members of the family are widely cultivated, not only for their aromatic qualities, but also their ease of cultivation, since they are readily propagated by stem cuttings. Besides those grown for their edible leaves, some are grown for decorative foliage. Others are grown for seed, such as Salvia hispanica (chia), or for their edible tubers, such as Plectranthus edulis, Plectranthus esculentus, Plectranthus rotundifolius, and Stachys affinis. Many are also grown ornamentally, notably coleus, Plectranthus, and many Salvia species and hybrids.

<i>Mentha</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae

Mentha is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae. The exact distinction between species is unclear; it is estimated that 13 to 24 species exist. Hybridization occurs naturally where some species' ranges overlap. Many hybrids and cultivars are known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peppermint</span> Hybrid flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae

Peppermint is a hybrid species of mint, a cross between watermint and spearmint. Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now widely spread and cultivated in many regions of the world. It is occasionally found in the wild with its parent species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spearmint</span> Species of mint

Spearmint, also known as garden mint, common mint, lamb mint and mackerel mint, is a species of mint, Mentha spicata (, native to Europe and southern temperate Asia, extending from Ireland in the west to southern China in the east. It is naturalized in many other temperate parts of the world, including northern and southern Africa, North America, and South America. It is used as a flavouring in food and herbal teas. The aromatic oil, called oil of spearmint, is also used as a flavoring and sometimes as a scent.

<i>Satureja</i> Genus of flowering plants

Satureja is a genus of aromatic plants of the family Lamiaceae, related to rosemary and thyme. It is native to North Africa, southern and southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. A few New World species were formerly included in Satureja, but they have all been moved to other genera. Several species are cultivated as culinary herbs called savory, and they have become established in the wild in a few places.

<i>Mentha pulegium</i> Species of plant

Mentha pulegium, commonly (European) pennyroyal, or pennyrile, also called mosquito plant and pudding grass, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Crushed pennyroyal leaves emit a very strong fragrance similar to spearmint. Pennyroyal is a traditional folk remedy, emmenagogue, abortifacient, and culinary herb, but is toxic to the liver and has caused some deaths. European pennyroyal is related to an American species, Hedeoma pulegioides. Though they differ in genera, they share similar chemical properties.

<i>Micromeria douglasii</i> Species of flowering plant

Micromeria douglasii, synonym Clinopodium douglasii, or yerba buena, is a rambling aromatic herb of western and northwestern North America, ranging from maritime Alaska southwards to California. The plant takes the form of a sprawling, mat-forming perennial, and is especially abundant close to the coast. The name "yerba buena" derives from Spanish for "good herb" and is applied to various other plants. In 2010, molecular evidence placed the species within the Clinopodium complex rather than Micromeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yerba Buena Island</span> Neighborhood of San Francisco, California, US

Yerba Buena Island sits in San Francisco Bay within the borders of the City and County of San Francisco. The Yerba Buena Tunnel runs through its center and connects the western and eastern spans of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, linking the city with Oakland, California. Treasure Island is connected by a causeway to Yerba Buena Island. According to the United States Census Bureau, Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island together have a land area of 0.901 square miles (2.33 km2) with a total population of 2,500 as of the 2010 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yerba Buena Gardens</span> Two blocks of public parks in San Francisco, California

Yerba Buena Gardens is the name for two blocks of public parks located between Third and Fourth, Mission and Folsom Streets in the South of Market (SoMA) neighbourhood of San Francisco, California. The first block bordered by Mission and Howard Streets was opened on October 11, 1993. The second block, between Howard and Folsom Streets, was opened in 1998, with a dedication to Martin Luther King Jr. by Mayor Willie Brown. A pedestrian bridge over Howard Street connects the two blocks, sitting on top of part of the Moscone Center convention center. The Yerba Buena Gardens were planned and built as the final centerpiece of the Yerba Buena Redevelopment Area which includes the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. Yerba Buena Gardens Conservancy operates the property on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco.

<i>Mentha suaveolens</i> Species of flowering plant

Mentha suaveolens, the apple mint, pineapple mint, woolly mint or round-leafed mint, is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is native to southern and western Europe including the Mediterranean region. It is a herbaceous, upright perennial plant that is most commonly grown as a culinary herb or for ground cover.

<i>Micromeria</i> Genus of flowering plants

Micromeria is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, widespread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America, with a center of diversity in the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands. It is sometimes placed within the genus Satureja. The name is derived from the Greek words μῑκρος (mīkros), meaning "small," and μερίς (meris), meaning "portion," referring to the leaves and flowers. Common names include savory and whitweed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yerba Buena, California</span> Original name of the Spanish settlement which became San Francisco, California, US

Yerba Buena was the original name of the settlement that later became San Francisco. Located near the northeastern end of the San Francisco Peninsula, between the Presidio of San Francisco and the Mission San Francisco de Asís, it was originally intended as a trading post for ships visiting San Francisco Bay. The settlement was arranged in the Spanish style around a plaza that remains as the present day Portsmouth Square.

<i>Micromeria fruticosa</i> Species of plant

Micromeria fruticosa, commonly known as white micromeria or white-leaved savory, is a dwarf evergreen shrub endemic to the eastern Mediterranean, as well as found in the Balkans. It is a member of the genus Micromeria, in the family Lamiaceae. It is known as zuta levana in today's Modern Hebrew and ashab a-shai in Arabic. The Bedouins, however, call it by the Arabic name, qurniyya, believed to be a cognate of the Hebrew qoranit, an aromatic herb described in the Mishnah. The plant's aromatic leaves are used in making decoctions.

<i>Clinopodium nepeta</i> Species of flowering plant

Clinopodium nepeta, known as lesser calamint, is a perennial herb of the mint family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexican tea culture</span>

Mexican tea culture is known for its traditional herbal teas which are reputed to have medicinal properties. In recent decades, imported tea beverages have also become popular in Mexico. Mexican tea recipes have grown in popularity beyond Mexico as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herbs de Majorca</span> Spanish herbal drink, Majorcan herbal liquor

Herbs de Majorca is a Majorcan herbal liqueur of medicinal origin. A form of the generic Hierbas, Herbs de Majorca has a protected designation of origin and can only be made in Majorca.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mentheae</span> Tribe of flowering plants in the sage family Lamiaceae

Mentheae is the largest tribe of plants in the family Lamiaceae. It includes herbs such as sage, hyssop, mint, bee balm and thyme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CBSé</span> Argentine yerba mate company

CBSé is an Argentinian brand of yerba mate that has been in the market for more than forty years. It was the first brand to create yerba mate compuesta, which is a mix of yerba mate and herbs. The company produces different types of yerba mate as well as other related products.

<i>Clinopodium menthifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Clinopodium menthifolium, commonly known as the wood calamint or woodland calamint, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is found throughout southern and central Europe from the United Kingdom and east as far as temperate parts of Asia, and as south as North Africa. It grows up to 1,700 m (5,600 ft) in elevation.

References

  1. Typically, for stomach ailments, see the article on Mentha.
  2. "Peppermint oil". National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, US National Institutes of Health. 2014. Retrieved 2014-10-11.
  3. Jamila, F.; Mostafa, E. (2014). "Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by people in Oriental Morocco to manage various ailments". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 154 (1): 76–87. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.03.016. PMID   24685583.
  4. "Clinopodium douglasii". Jepson eflora (The Jepson Herbarium). Retrieved March 9, 2016.
5) https://www.colombia.co/pais-colombia/hierbas-aromaticas-que-existen-en-colombia/
6) Yerba Buena

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Clinopodium douglasii at Wikimedia Commons