Herb Day, celebrated on the first Saturday in May, is a holiday that simply encourages planting herbs and celebrates people who have a culture of growing herbs. This year it falls on May 1. It was created and organized by the HerbDay Coalition, which is an organization of five non-profit groups. The holiday encourages people to learn more about herbs, cultivate them and use them more extensively in their daily lives.
History of Herb Day
Herb Day was created in 2006, a time when ‘herb’ was still a bit of a scary word. Medical doctors, naturopaths, and acupuncturists were not yet comfortable incorporating herbs into their practices, and the public knew very little about the subject. The HerbDay Coalition is made up of five non-profit organizations that wished to create a day for people to celebrate the healing power of herbs. On the first Saturday in May, we invite you to have your own celebration with the herbs you have in your garden or on your patio.
The world of plants was divided into trees, shrubs, and herbs by the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus. Herbs are also further classified into three groups, namely pot herbs, sweet herbs, and salad herbs. During the 1600s, pot herbs began to be referred to as vegetables as they were no longer considered only suitable for the pot.
In its early stages, botany was primarily a study of the pharmacological uses of plants, and by the Middle Ages, with the advent of humoral theory in medicine, the position was made that foodstuffs, having their own humoral qualities, could, in turn, alter the humoral temperaments of humans.
Popular plants parsley and sage were often used together for cooking in medieval times. A renowned therapeutic nutriment of that age, chicken broth, as well as green sauce, were usually prepared with parsley and sage.
Herb Day timeline
Ancient Greek botanist Theophrastus is born.
By the 1600s, selective breeding leads to changes in the physical and other compositions of the pot plants, hence they come to be known as vegetables.
A group of five nonprofit groups comes together to form the HerbCoalition.
On May 6, the first-ever Herb Day is celebrated.
Herb Day FAQs
What is Herb Day?
Herb Day is a holiday that simply encourages planting herbs and celebrates people who have a culture of growing herbs.
When is Herb Day?
Herb Day is celebrated on the first Saturday in May every year.
Are herbs edible?
Yes. Most herbs are edible and even tasty.
Herb Day Activities
Learn more about herbs
Take the opportunity of Herb Day to find out some more about herbs! There are so many nutritional properties to herbs that you could learn about!
Start a herb garden
You could start a small herb garden probably in your kitchen and devote yourself to seeing it grow. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing hard work come to fruition.
Share the fun on social media
Post pictures of your herb plants on social media with the #HerbDay hashtag! Encourage your friends to do the same as well as to learn something new.
5 Facts About Herbs And Spices
Red peppers are rich in Vitamin C
Red peppers are said to be unusually rich in Vitamin C, and a single serving of soup made from it contains more Vitamin C than lemon juice.
Red bell peppers are ripe green peppers
Red bell peppers are simply ripe green bell peppers.
Nutmeg is a psychotropic
Nutmeg serves psychotropic functions and a high enough dose can induce hallucinations.
Vanilla is highly expensive
Vanilla is among the two most expensive spices in the world, second only to Saffron.
Turmeric is effective against Alzheimer’s
Turmeric powder is very potent in managing symptoms of Alzheimer's, even more than drugs prescribed for it.
Why We Love Herb Day
Herbs are medicinal
Herbs serve a great medicinal purpose and can be used to treat a variety of illnesses. Learn something new today and research what you can treat with herbs!
Herbs are tasty
Some herbs and spices are tasty and add flavor to our everyday meals. They’re great for soups or roasts!
Herbs are eco-friendly
Herbs do not harm the environment and therefore growing them is safe! Get your green thumbs ready and start planting today!
Herb Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | May 2 | Saturday |
| 2027 | May 1 | Saturday |
| 2028 | May 6 | Saturday |
| 2029 | May 5 | Saturday |
| 2030 | May 4 | Saturday |
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