BASIL

Description: Basil pungent and sweet, is part of the mint family. There are many varieties of basil, commonly used in Italian and Southeast Asian dishes. It can be eaten raw or added to cooked dishes at the last minute.

What it’s good for: Helps alleviate indigestion or gas and calm the nervous system. Also used to relieve insect bites and is antibacterial. Basil flowers brewed into a tea help relieve coughs.

How to grow: Basil prefers hot, dry conditions and well-drained soil. It grows best outdoors but can also be grown indoors in a pot on a southern-facing lanai or windowsill where it will get plenty of sunlight. Basil grows well from cuttings. Pinch off flowers to help keep the plant full and healthy.

CHILI PEPPER

Description: Chilies, which originated in the Americas, are a fruit of one of the plants from the Solanaceae family. They come in several colors, varieties and intensities.

What it’s good for: Stimulates circulation and digestion, increases the flow of nutrients to tissues. Treats arthritis and diarrhea, but do not take if pregnant, nursing or suffering from acid indigestion.

How to grow: Chili does best in hot, moist conditions and well-drained soil. It can be started from seed (cut a pepper in half and scoop out seeds).

LEMONGRASS

Description: Sweetly scented grass native to India and Sri Lanka.

What it’s good for: Alleviates insomnia or anxiety. Lemongrass has sedative and antimicrobial properties that relax muscles of the stomach and gut. You can cook with the bulbous stem at the base and brew the grass blade for tea.

How to grow: This perennial herb likes full sun or partial shade, well-drained and partially acidic soil, and humidity. Take a whole stalk or the base with some roots on it, and stick it in the ground or a pot.

OLENA (TURMERIC)

Description: Olena, a common yellow spice in Indian curries and mustards, is a “canoe plant” native to India and southern Asia. It’s also a rhizome, an underground stem that puts out lateral roots and shoots.

What it’s good for: Antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal. Treats ulcer, skin problems, ringworm, rheumatism and many other ailments.

How to grow: Plant the root or rhizome right under the soil surface in a pot or in the ground. During part of the year, the above-ground plant will disappear, but it re-sprouts the next season. Prefers sandier soil rich in humus and shade.

GARLIC

Description: Garlic, long a staple in Mediterranean and other cuisines, is well known as a flavor enhancer, both raw and cooked. It belongs to the onion family.

What it’s good for: Lowers cholesterol and reduces blood sugar levels, is a natural antibiotic and can be used externally on wounds and fungal infections. Besides the bulb, garlic leaves are also tasty to cook with.

How to grow: Keep a head of garlic on the kitchen counter, and when you see green tips starting to emerge, plant the cloves right under the soil surface in a pot or in the ground. Can grow year-round in Hawaii.