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10 Best Smelling Herbs to Grow Indoors

Most Fragrant Herbs to Grow Indoors – 10 Herbs that Smell Good

Most people know that fresh herbs can make any dish taste better. However, purchasing fresh herbs from the store can be expensive.

It is much cheaper to grow your own herbs, saving you money and having the added benefit of being available whenever you want them.

When you grow certain herbs that smell good indoors, they can also make your home smell great! Here is a look at some of the best smelling herbs to grow indoors.

Best smelling herbs to grow indoors

10 Best Smelling Herbs to Grow Indoors

#1. Mint

Mint

Mint is an herb that grows on a small bush. It leaves are long and narrow though rounded and deeply veined. This herb has a strong bright energizing scent that tends to freshen the air. It is also one of the best windowsill herbs for your kitchen window garden.

Mint adds a great taste to many different dishes. You can use it as a basting brush to baste meat with sauce, infusing a minty flavor into the sauce. Fresh chopped leaves are used in fruit salads and it is often infused in beverages.

Mint oil is often used in baths to help energize you when you are feeling fatigued. Chewing on a mint leaf can also help to freshen your breath.

(You may also want to read this article on what to plant with mint).

#2. Rosemary

Rosemary

Rosemary is a plant that vaguely resembles pine twigs. This is quite appropriate since this herb has an aromatic woody scent, which reminds some people of the great out of doors.

Rosemary is often used in Mediterranean cooking and adds great flavor to lamb, chicken, fish and other food.

This herb is rich in calcium, iron and Vitamin B6, and is believed to help boost your immunity.

(You may also want to read this article on what to plant with rosemary).

#3. Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm

The leaves of the lemon balm plant look like over sized mint leaves and for good reason, this herb is a member of the mint family. The leaves have a nice clean lemony-mint scent.

Lemon balm is used in a variety of different foods such as tea and lemonade. It can be added to butter to improve the flavor and also is used in homemade ice cream, fruit dishes, candy and in fish.

Lemon balm can aid in digestion issues such as bloating and nausea.

#4. Sage

Sage

Sage is an herb with beautiful grayish green textured leaves with pointed tips. When you grow this plant indoors, its aroma will remind you of the holidays with its earthy minty scent.

In the spring, this herb grows spikes of flowers in various colors including purple, white, pink and blue. This herb is great on Turkeys and stuffing, soups and more.

Sage has some health benefits as well since it is rich in Vitamin A and calcium and boosts iron stores in the body as well as memory.

(You may also want to read this article on what to plant with sage).

#5. Parsley

Parsley

Parsley is an herb that grows to be 3 feet tall. It has bright green oval leaves and small purple flowers that grow on a shiny green stem. Parsley is known for its bright peppery taste with notes of citrus, cloves and nutmeg.

Parsley is used in number of dishes including soups, sauces, and casseroles. It can also be used as a garnish on such things as deviled eggs and salad vegetables. Parsley is good for you too with high quantities of sulfur and magnesium.

#6. Thyme

Thyme

Thyme is an herb that has small star-shaped leaves that grows in clusters. Fresh growing thyme doesn’t smell like food, but has a fresh herbaceous scent.

There are several types of thyme, but the most popular two are Common Thyme and Lemon Thyme.

Thyme is used in a wide variety of dishes and adds grass, wood, and floral notes to a number of dishes including soups, rice and potato dishes, cocktails and teas.

Thyme contains a number of vitamins in minuscule amounts. And when thyme essential oil is used it can kill bacteria and may even be used as a natural remedy for coughs.

(You may also want to read this article on what to plant with thyme).

#7. Cilantro

Cilantro

Cilantro is a member of the parsley plant and comes from the fresh leaves of the coriander plant. This plant has flat leaves growing on long tender stems.

Cilantro has a strong savory scent and a lemony and peppery taste. This herb can be chopped and added to sour cream, in rice and meat dishes, salads and more.

It is believed that cilantro can help improve digestion and improve inflammation and may help reduce high blood pressure.

#8. Basil

Basil Herb

My favorite fragrant herb, basil is an herb with oval shaped leaves that come to a point. This herb is great when grown indoors since it has a summery fresh scent that can brighten your room.

The most common type of basil is sweet basil and when used fresh it is often added to food at the last minute.

Sweet basil is also used dried. Used in soups, sauces, or on pizza or eaten fresh with tomatoes or Mozzarella cheese, basil is an herb that can be enjoyed by anyone.

Basil has high levels of Beta Carotene and it is rich in Magnesium, which will aid in sleep.

(You may also want to read this article on what to plant with basil).

#9. Chives

Chives

Chives grow in small clumps of bulbs with thin tubular bluish/green leaves. This plant grows between 10 and 15 inches high. It also grows edible flowers that may be purple, pink, red or white.

Chives have a mild onion-like taste. Garlic chives are also popular and looks like common chives only with flatter leaves and this herb grows up to 20 inches high.

Chives are used in all different types of foods including soups, salads, potato dishes, casseroles, and even in dips.

It is believed that eating chives can help memory and is packed with vitamin K and vitamin A.

#10. Lavender

Lavender

Lavender is a plant that has pink, white, purple, and blue flowered spikes sitting on top of gray/green stem.

This herb has a light fresh floral scent that will freshen your kitchen or any room it is grown in. Little wonder it made it into our list of the nice smelling herbs to grow inside.

Lavender is a popular herb used in salads and on chicken. It is also used in a variety of baked goods as well as beverages.

This herb can also be used in potpourri, homemade soaps and its essential oil is known to help people relax.

Final Thoughts on the Best Smelling Herbs to Grow Indoors

If you enjoy growing indoor plants then why not consider growing these good smelling herbs. These fragrant herbs can add beauty and freshness to your home as well as make your food even tastier.

Most fragrant herbs to grow indoors

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