10 Fast-Growing Herbs That Will Be Ready to Use in No Time

Lemon Verbena

A fragrant herb with lemon-scented leaves, lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) thrives in warm and hot weather. "One of my favorite fast-growing herbs is lemon verbena because it has an intense lemony aroma," says Tucker Taylor, culinary gardener at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens in Sonoma, California. 

There are many ways to use lemon verbena in your drink creations. "I like to infuse it in teas as well as simple syrups for all kinds of desserts, drinks, and granitas," he says.

• Zones: 8 to 11
• Days to maturity: 60 days
• Size: 36 to 48 inches tall x 18 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil
  

Parsley

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is part of the carrot family and is a versatile herb to grow either indoors, on the windowsill, or outside. "Its fresh grassy flavor and deep green color add a nutritious kick to any vegetable dish as well as many types of proteins," says Taylor, who prefers the bolder flavor of flat-leaf parsley to curly-leaf varieties. 

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Days to maturity: 60 to 75 days
• Size: 6 to 12 inches tall x 8 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
  

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm is a perennial herb with a lemony flavor that makes a delicious herbal infusion or tea. "Lemon balm is in the mint family and spreads quickly. Grow it in a pot if you're worried about it spreading too much," says Abby Artemisia, botanist, herbalist, and author of The Herbal Handbook for Homesteaders and founder of the WANDER School.

• Zones: 3 to 7
• Days to maturity: 70 days
• Size: 18 to 24 inches tall x 18 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Partial shade; well-drained soil
  

Bee Balm

Bee balm (Monarda fistulosa), also known as wild bergamot, is native to North America and attracts important pollinators. "Bee balm is one of my favorite herbs to grow; It will grow quickly, makes gorgeous firework-like blooms of bright red, and is a powerful antiviral," says Artemisia. "The pollinators love it, especially hummingbirds." Bee balm can be used as a substitute for thyme or oregano in many recipes. 

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Day to maturity: 110 to 120
• Size: 10 to 48 inches tall x 10 to 36 inches wide
• Care requirements: Partial to full sun: well-drained soil

Chives

If you're new to growing herbs and want an easy one to start with, plant chives (Allium schoenoprasum). "Chives are a wonderful stepping stone into the wonderful world of herb gardening," says Carrie Wiles, interim executive director for The Delaware Center for Horticulture.. "They are very low maintenance and not fussy whatsoever." Chives can manage with little care, including gardeners who forget to water. "They are happy in an assortment of soil conditions—no matter if you under or overwater," she says.

•  Zones: 4 to 8
• Days to maturity: 60 days 
• Size: 18 inches tall x 18 inches wide
• Care requirements: Partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
  

Dill

You may associate dill (Anethum graveolens) with pickles, but this versatile herb can be used for an array of culinary dishes. Grow dill to use for pickling, adding to soups, tossing in salads, garnishing potatoes, or other dishes. "Dill is a self-seeding annual which will return year-after-year if seeds are allowed to mature in place," says Wiles.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Days to maturity: 40 to 50 days
• Size: 3 to 5 feet tall x 2 to 3 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Basil

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) is a summer herb that thrives in warm climates. With its sweet and pungent flavor, basil is the star of the show for pesto or a Caprese salad. "I enjoy incorporating fresh basil into my summertime salad dressings and also on homemade Margherita pizza," says Wiles.

Harvest basil often to keep it healthy and happy. "To stimulate growth, pinch off a third of the leaves weekly, right at the stem, so the plant will create branches and produce more," says Wiles.

• Zones: 2 to 11
• Days to maturity: 65 to 70 days
• Size: 18 to 24 inches tall x 18 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil
  

Orange Mint

If you're looking for a citrusy-flavored mint, grow orange mint (Mentha citrata). "Once established, this bergamot-scented herb will produce an abundance of leaves for use in teas, salads, cocktails, and more," says Taylor. Mint varieties should be grown in pots as they spread via rhizomes quickly. "Like all mints, I like to plant them in galvanized troughs to prevent them from taking over my garden," he says.

• Zones: 4 to 11
• Days to maturity: 60 days
• Size: 1 to 3 feet tall x 3 to 4 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil
  

Pineapple Mint

Pineapple mint (Mentha suaveolens) is a fun variety to grow for its unique flavor and to attract beneficial insects to your garden when it flowers. "Pineapple mint is a low-growing mint that comes back reliably for me in my USDA Zone 6b garden," says Jen McGuiness, author of Bird-Friendly Gardening and Micro Food Gardening. "I grow it in a pot and leave it outdoors over the winter," she says. "I like growing it for its ornamental value, but it can also be used to flavor tea or jelly." 

• Zones: 5 to 9
• Days to maturity: 30 days
• Size: 18 to 24 inches tall x 18 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

Spearmint

Spearmint (Mentha spicata) is another mint variety that you can begin harvesting within two months for tea, cocktails, or to toss into salads. "I like growing spearmint because of its large fragrant leaves," says McGuiness. "It is the mint to use for a nice icy mojito on a warm summer day. It can also be dried and used for tea." 

• Zones: 4 to 11
• Days to maturity: 60 days
• Size: 12 to 36 inches tall x 12 to 24 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil