Herbs and spices are wonderful additions to any recipe. There are so many to try out, both for their culinary and medicinal purposes. Today, I have compiled a list of herbs and spices from all over the world, this time beginning with letter Q.
Herbs
Quaking Aspen
The quaking aspen, botanically known as Populus tremuloides, is a perennial tree that loses its leaves every year and is native to the temperate regions of North America. The common names for this tree include white poplar, American aspen, and quick aspen.
These types of trees can reach heights of up to 26 meters (82 feet). It has dull-looking leaves on the underside of its glossy leaves. During the fall, the leaves change from their green color to shades of gold and even yellow.
Uses
- The bark has a substance that can be used as a quinine substitute.
- The wood from aspen can be used for making pulp products such as books and paper.
- The wood can also be used for making panel products
Health benefits
- Anti-inflammatory properties: The bark and leaves of the aspen tree have a compound called salicin. This compound is similar to aspirin. It helps to prevent swelling in different organs. It is also useful for reducing pains such as joint pains, nerve pains, and back problems.
- It has antiseptic qualities: it has been widely applied by native North American tribes to treat injuries and wounds. It has strong antibacterial properties, which make it effective at sanitizing wounds.
- It can be used in infusions to treat coughs and respiratory issues.
- It could also be used as diuretic to treat urinary disorders
Where to buy quaking aspen
This herb can be purchased at Walmart, Ivan Dale Farms, Costco, and Herbs and Spices.
Quezonia (Clerodendrum quadriloculare)
Quezonia, with a botanical name of Clerodendrum quadriloculare, is a species of flowering plant that originates from New Guinea and the Philippines. Other common names for this plant include Philippine glorybower,fireworks plant, shooting star, or starburst bush in English, and bagawak morado in Filipino.
Molecular research has led to the transfer of numerous species from the family Verbenaceae to the family Lamiaceae, including this one. In a garden, the plants’ blossoms would be a welcome sight, but they can be tricky to get rid of once established.
Uses
- Its leaves can be extracted to heal wounds and ulcers.
- It can also be used in tonic baths.
Health benefits
- Anti inflammatory properties: The Quezonia roots can be extracted for their phytochemicals, which help to prevent allergies and inflammation in diseases such as asthma. It is also credited with helping to bring down the temperature in high-fever situations.
- Rich in antioxidants: Quezonia is rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids and glycosides, which are effective at neutralizing hydroxyl free radicals that can cause serious damage to your body cells.
- Anti-cancer properties: The Quezonia is rich in compounds that have been discovered to both prevent and hinder the progression of cancer cells. Research has shown that the flavonoids and other phenolic compounds in Quezonia are effective against cancer cells in the liver, kidney, and testes.
Where to buy quezonia
This herb can be purchased at the following locations, which include Oliver Flower Shop, IvanDale Farms, and Jordan Jungles. You can also order it from Amazon.
Queen of Dracaenas (Dracaena surculosa)
Dracaena surculosa is a species of flowering plant that belongs to the family Asparagaceae. It is native to west and west-central equatorial Africa, ranging from Guinea to the Republic of the Congo. Other common names for this plant are gold dust dracaena and spotted dracaena.
Uses
- It is used as an ornamental plant for air purification.
Health benefits
- Helps to remove toxic gases from the environment: As an indoor plant, the Dracaena surculosa is effective at removing toxic gases such as formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. These are pollutants that can come from carpets and furnishings. Repeated exposure to them can lead to headaches, anemia, and respiratory problems. Dracaena helps to absorb these pollutants and keeps your circulating air fresh.
- Improves focus and concentration: According to studies, having plants around can increase the level of attention and focus one has. Houseplants help to increase concentration and overall mental wellness.
Where to buy dracaena surculosa?
Dracaena surculosa can be purchased at these locations: Amazon, Etsy, Ivan Dale Farms, and My Home Nature.
Quassia
Quassia is a genus of plants that belongs to the family Simaroubaceae. Some botanists consider it to be made up of only one species, Quassia amara, which is native to the tropical regions of South America.
On the other hand, others consider it to be a pantropical genus that can comprise up to forty different species of trees and shrubs. The name of the species comes from Graman Quassi, a freed slave from Suriname who lived during the eighteenth century. He was the first person to discover the medicinal qualities of the Quassia amara bark.
Health benefits
- Worm expeller: Extracts from the Quassia plant can be used as a worm expeller. It is effective as a purgative and tonic. It also works quite effectively at bringing calm to stomach troubles.
- Removes lice: The Quassia plant is also effective at treating lice infestation. Salves from the Quassia bark can be applied topically to your skin and hair. In no time, you will be free from lice.
- Antipyretic properties: Quassia is credited with being used in treating fevers of different sorts, especially in cases of malaria.
Where to buy quassia
Quassia can be gotten at any of these places: Walmart, Remedies, Herb Shop, and Herbs and Heron Botanicals.
Quinine
The bark of trees of the genus Cinchona is harvested for its quinine content. At least 23 different kinds of trees and shrubs belong to the genus Cinchona, which is part of the flowering plant family Rubiaceae. All of these species can be found naturally only in the western South American Andean forests.
Some species have apparently naturalized in Central America, Jamaica, French Polynesia, Sulawesi, Saint Helena in the South Atlantic, and Sao Tomé and Principe off the coast of tropical Africa, while others have been farmed in India and Java, where they have generated hybrids.
Uses
- The bark of the Cinchona plant is used in medicine for treating malaria.
Health benefits
- Anti-malarial: Quinine’s primary purpose is to treat malaria. It helps to kill the parasite plasmodium falciparum, which is responsible for causing the disease malaria.
- Antispasmodic effects: Quinine can be used to treat muscular spasms in patients.
Where to buy quinine.
This herb can be purchased at the following locations: Walmart, Rainbow Grocery, and The Herb Shoppe.
Queen Elizabeth Root
The Queen Elizabeth root refers to the species Iris pallida and Iris germanica. It goes by the name “Orris root” as well. In particular, the Iris germanica has its roots in the Mediterranean region of Europe. The Iridaceae family includes both of these species.
Uses
- It is an important component of western herbal medicine.
- It is also commonly used in fragrances due to its nice aroma.
- The orris root is also used in potpourri.
Health benefits
- Antimicrobial properties: The antimicrobial properties of the orris root make it useful for treating various skin ailments such as eczema, ringworm, and scabies. The active compounds contained in this route make it effective against these skin conditions. The extracts from this plant are commonly used in lots of skin care products.
- Anti-cancer properties: The Queen Elizabeth root has been credited with being able to hinder the progression of the growth of cancer cells. The root is rich in antioxidants that can neutralize free radicals that cause cancer. These free radicals, if left unattended, can cause serious changes to your DNA and lead to the growth of unwanted cells.
- Anti-inflammatory properties: the extracts from the Queen Elizabeth root can be used to reduce swelling and inflammation in joints and tissues. It can be applied topically as a salve to affected areas, and the effect is soon seen.
Where to buy queen elizabeth root
This herb can be purchased at any of these locations: Walmart, San Francisco Herb Company, or Old Town Spice Shop.
Queen Victoria’s Agave
The Queen Victoria agave, or royal agave, is a famous ornamental species of the succulent plant genus Agave. It is recognized by its scientific name, Agave victoriae-reginae, and is about as tall as a person’s knee.
Uses
- The agave is popularly used for making tequila.
- Agave nectar, a sweet tasting syrup, can be extracted from the agave plant.
Health benefits
- This herb has a low glycemic index (GI). A low-GI diet may be useful for diabetics in managing their condition.
- It may improve the metabolic rate. Agave’s vitamin B6 content is important since it aids in the digestion of protein and carbs.
- Ideal for pregnancy. Vitamin B6 may also help with the nausea and vomiting of morning sickness. In addition to being an essential nutrient, agave is also a good source of folate, which is essential for the growth of your unborn child’s neurological system.
- It’s useful in combating depression. Agave syrup’s vitamin K and folate content may be helpful for mental wellness. Vitamin K deficiency has been linked to an increased vulnerability to depression. Folate may also help reduce depressive symptoms.
Where to buy queen victoria’s agave
You can purchase this herb at the Herb Shoppe, Sam’s Club, and Costco.
Queen Anthurium
Anthurium warocqueanum is a species of plant that belongs to the genus Anthurium. It is most generally referred to as the queen anthurium. It is native to Colombia, and because of its long, attractive leaves, it is popularly cultivated in countries with a more temperate climate as a houseplant or in greenhouses.
Uses
- The Queen Anthurium plants are used majorly as ornamental plants for indoor decoration.
Health benefits
- Good as air purifiers: The Queen Anthurium plants are effective at removing pollutants such as ammonia that can cause health issues.
- Improves mood: House plants such as the Queen Anthurium are effective at improving your mood and also easing your worries and anxiety. Research has shown that having house plans around can help improve your mood and reduce depression.
Where to buy queen anthurium
Top Tropicals Garden Center, The Plant Lady, and Arium Botanicals are just some of the places where you can buy this herb.
Queensland Bottle
The Queensland bottle tree (Brachychiton rupestris) is an Australian native tree of the Malvaceae family. It is also known as the narrow-leaved bottle tree. Named after its bulbous trunk, which may reach a diameter of up to 3.5 meters (11 ft) at breast height, it was first discovered and described by Sir Thomas Mitchell and John Lindley in 1848.
The Queensland bottle tree can grow to heights of 10-25 meters (33-82 ft) and is deciduous, meaning that it sheds its leaves in the fall. There may be one or more narrow leaf blades on each of the 11 cm (4 in) long and 2 cm (0.8 in) wide leaves, depending on whether the leaves are simple or split.
From September to November, cream-colored blooms bloom, and from November to May, woody, boat-shaped follicles mature.
Uses
- It can be used in medicine as a diuretic.
- The plant is used for ornamental purposes.
Health benefits
- For relieving problems of the urinary tract. Extracts from the Queensland bottle tree can be used as directed and also for treating urinary tract infections.
- Women use it as a douche to clear the genitourinary tract of excess menstruation or mucosal discharge known as leukorrhea.
- In children, it is used to treat urine incontinence and bedwetting.
- For stomach troubles: Decoctions from this plant can be used as “hot tea” treatments for gastroenteritis and diarrhea.
- Provides energy: In Australia, the Aborigines have used the Queensland bottle flower as a natural energy drink.
Where to buy queensland bottles
You can get this herb at: Green Lady Botanicals, Green Point Nurseries, and Olive Hill Greenhouses.
Queen’s Wreath
The Queen’s wreath is a member of the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Its botanical name is Antigonon leptopus, and it is often known as Coral vine, Coralita, Cadena de Amor (in the Philippines), bee bush, or San Miguelito vine. Originating from Mexico, this plant thrives for multiple seasons. The vine bears either pink or white blossoms.
Health benefits
- Regulates blood sugar: the Queen’s wreath is low on the glycemic index. Taking extracts from this herb can help to reduce the likelihood of spikes in blood sugar. It has also been proven by research to help reduce insulin resistance in diabetics.
- Antispasmodic properties: the extracts from Queen’s wreath are effective at treating coughs and other respiratory tract issues. They have antispasmodic properties which make them effective at reducing inflammation in the respiratory tract and causing relaxation of the respiratory tissues and muscles.
Where to buy a queen’s wreath
You can purchase the queen’s wreath at any of these locations: Top Tropicals Garden Center, Tropicouture Plants, and Jacqueline Home and Garden.
Queen Palm
The queen palm, also known as the cocos palm, is a species of palm native to South America that has been widely planted as an ornamental garden tree around the world under the scientific name Syagrus romanzoffiana.
S. romanzoffiana is a fast-growing medium-sized palm that can reach a height of 15 meters (49 feet) at maturity. Its pinnate leaves can have as many as 494 pinnae (leaflets), but more commonly have around 300, and their individual pinnae are about 50 cm (18 inches) in length and 3-5 centimeters (1-2 inches) in width.
Health benefits
- Used in cosmetics: The Queen’s palm is effective at treating dandruff and other skin issues. Because of this, extracts from this plant are used in making skin care products and cosmetics.
- Antimicrobial properties: Salves from this plant can be used to treat wounds and injuries. It can be used to fast track the healing of wounds.
Where to buy queen’s palm
The queen’s palm can be purchased at: Jungle Music Palms, Mule Palms, and Palm Professional Nursery.
Queen Anne’s lace
Queen Anne’s lace is a member of the Apiaceae family, a family of herbaceous plants. It is a plant known variously as wild chervil, wild beaked parsley, or keck. This plant is commonly known as “mother-die,” a name also applied to the common hawthorn, particularly in the United Kingdom.
Its original range included much of Europe, Western Asia, and Northwest Africa. It is related to such diverse plants as parsley, carrot, hemlock, and hogweed, which are also members of the Apiaceae family.
Uses
- The plant is used in herbal medicine for different health conditions.
- The root can be cut up and used in salads and dishes.
Health benefits
- It can be used as a diuretic to eliminate kidney stones.
- The seeds of this plant can be used as contraceptives.
- It can be used to treat gastrointestinal disorders.
Where to buy queen anne’s lace.
Queen Anne’s lace can be purchased at the following locations: WholeFoods Market, Walmart, and Queen Anne’s Lace Flowers & Gifts.
Quaker’s-bonnet
The Quaker’s bonnet, or Primula vulgaris, is a species of flowering plant that belongs to the family Primulaceae. Its natural habitats include western and southern Europe, northwest Africa, and portions of southwest Asia. Primrose is the popular name, though it is sometimes referred to as English primrose or common primrose. This is done to differentiate it from other Primula species that are also known as primroses.
Health benefits
- The anti-inflammatory properties of this plant are effective against asthma and bronchitis.
- Extracts from the Quaker’s bonnet plant can be used for treating gastrointestinal issues and sore throats.
Where to buy quaker’s-bonnet
You can easily get a Quaker’s bonnet at these locations: Macy’s, Walmart, and Target.
Quaking Grass
Grassy annuals and perennials belonging to the genus Briza can be found growing wild in the cooler regions of Eurasia, North Africa, and a few Atlantic islands.
Because the flowers and seed heads tremble on their stalks in even the slightest breeze, the collective is sometimes referred to as the quaking grasses. Several of its members are used as decorative plants in gardens.
Lepidoptera caterpillars, such as the Coleophora lixella, feed on Briza species.
Health benefits
- The quaking grass is rich in antioxidants that have smooth muscle-relaxing properties. This makes them useful for treating gastrointestinal cramps.
- It aids digestion: The rich fiber content of the quaking grass helps in promoting good bowel movement and preventing constipation.
Where to buy quaking grass
The quaking grass can be purchased at the following locations, which include Arbor Day Nursery, Annie’s Annuals and Perennials, and Pahl’s Market.
Queen Of The Night
Queen of the Night, also known as Cactus epiphyllum oxypetalum, goes by a number of common names, including Dutchman’s pipe, and Princess of the Night. Its flowers blossom only at night, and by morning they are withered.
Although it is occasionally called a night-blooming cereus, it is not related to the Cereeae species that are more popularly recognized as night-blooming cereus, such as Selenicereus. While most species of Epiphyllum are epiphytes, all species of Cereus bloom at night and grow on the ground.
Uses
- The fruits of this plant can be eaten as snacks.
- The fragrant nature of the Queen of the Night makes them useful as ornamental herbs.
Health benefits
- Queen of the Night flowers have anti-inflammatory properties which are useful against rheumatoid arthritis and swellings in tissues.
- Extracts from this plant are also useful for regulating blood sugar, which makes them essential for diabetic patients.
Where to buy queen of the night
The Queen of the Night can be purchased at Johnson’s Nursery and Pahl’s Market.
Quesnelia
Plants in the genus Quesnelia belong to the subfamily Bromelioideae of the Bromeliaceae family. The genus honors Edouard Prosper Quesnel, a French merchant and patron of botany from Le Havre (1781-1850). This genus, which includes 22 species, is found only in eastern Brazil.
Uses
- The plant has bright flowers, which make it useful as an ornamental plant.
- It is also used in herbal medicine.
Health benefits
- The quesnelia plant can be extracted and used in decoctions to treat coughs and respiratory disorders.
- As an analgesic: The extracts from this plant can be used to relieve pain and inflammation.
Where to buy quesnelia.
Quesnelia can be purchased at Bromeliad Paradise, Bird Rock Tropicals, and Tropiflora.
Quickfire Hydrangea
The Quickfire Hydrangea is a member of the genus Hydrangea and the family Hydrangeaceae. It originates from the southern and eastern regions of China, Korea, Japan, and Russia’s Sakhalin Island.
It’s a deciduous shrub or small tree that can reach heights of 1-5 meters (3.3-16.4 feet) and spreads out to a width of 2.5 meters (8 feet). It prefers to live in shady areas near water or on rocky mountain slopes .
The toothed, 7-15 cm (3-6 in) long leaves are shaped like an oval. In late summer, it produces tall, conical panicles of white fertile flowers and pinkish sterile florets.
Uses
- They are used in herbal medicine.
- The bright, fragrant flowers mean that they can be used for decorating indoors.
Health benefits
- The extracts from the roots of this herb can be used to treat bladder infections and dysuria.
- Drinking decoctions from the roots and stems of the hydrangea can be used as a diuretic to treat kidney stones.
Where to buy quick fire hydrangea
Quick Fire Hydrangea can be purchased at the following locations, which include: Gertens, Earl May Garden Center, and Johnson’s Nursery.
Quisqualis Indica
Quisqualis indica, or the Rangoon creeper, is a climbing plant endemic to the tropics of Asia that is characterized by clusters of crimson flowers.
The Rangoon creeper, a ligneous vine, can grow up to a height of 8 meters. The elliptic leaves taper to a sharp point at the end and curve inward at the base. They have an inverse pattern and range in size from 7 to 15 cm.
It also possesses tube-shaped, fragrant blossoms in shades of white, pink, and red. The ellipsoidal fruit, which can be up to 35 mm in length, features five pronounced wings. When ripe, the fruit takes on an almond-like flavor.
Uses
- It can be used as an herbal medicine.
- It is also used as an ornamental due to its bright flowers and pleasant fragrance.
Health benefits
- The quisqualis indica has extracts that can be used for treating skin disorders such as ulcers and fungal infections.
- Helps to treat urinary tract infections and dysuria.
Where to buy quisqualis indica?
This herb can be purchased at Rick’s Garden Center, Sunnyside Nursery, and Altum’s.