A herb is a small plant with a tender stem.
Before entering fully into the meaning of the term herb , we have to know its etymological origin. In this case, we can emphasize that it is a word that derives from Latin, specifically from “herba”.
An herb is a small plant that has a tender, non-woody stem . There are annual herbs that grow from seeds when the most favorable season begins, and others that are perennial and grow from stems that are on the surface or underground.
The grass that covers the ground is known as lawn . That which is used for livestock to feed in the place where they are raised, meanwhile, is called pasture . In any case, in everyday language, the three terms (grass, turf and pasture) are often mixed and used interchangeably.
Herbs in medicine and gastronomy
Colloquially, plants with medicinal properties or that are used in gastronomy are also called herbs. In these cases, the name is not always linked to the characteristics of the stem, since some tree species are called grass.
Within the gastronomic field, we cannot ignore the fact that more and more people are resorting to the use of some so-called weeds to prepare the most surprising dishes. Among these we can highlight nettles, collard greens, poppies or borage, among others.
Medicinal herbs , therefore, are vegetables that are used for the treatment of health disorders and diseases. The active ingredients of these herbs provide therapeutic action.
Aromatic herbs are used in gastronomy as a condiment.
History of its use
Already in Prehistory, human beings resorted to medicinal herbs. With the advancement of science , the identification, recognition and isolation of many active ingredients for the production of drugs was achieved. In any case, in various regions herbs are still used directly.
Among the healing herbs that are considered to obtain the best results and that contribute to taking care of our health are rosemary, chamomile, mint, sage, the so-called St. John's wort, licorice or fennel.
Aromatic herbs , on the other hand, are plants that are used in cooking as a condiment , both fresh and dried. Parsley, thyme and oregano are some of these herbs.
Movie "Splendor in the Grass"
Furthermore, we cannot ignore that one of the best-known films in the history of cinema and which is already a classic of the seventh art has the word in question in its title. We are referring to “Splendor in the Grass”, which premiered in 1961 under the direction of Elia Kazan.
Its title is a tribute to a poem by the English writer William Wordsworth (1770 – 1850). It stars actors Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood. It tells the love story between two young people who want to be together above all else, but who will not have it easy because in their environment there are people who try to avoid their relationship at all costs.
Marijuana
It should be noted that marijuana is also referred to as herb.
For example : “The police arrested my brother because they found weed in his coat,” “The musician was caught smoking weed in a park.”