Herb vs. Plant — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 17, 2024
A herb is a type of plant known for its culinary, medicinal, or aromatic properties, while a plant is a broader term encompassing all members of the kingdom Plantae, including trees, shrubs, and grasses.
Difference Between Herb and Plant
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A herb is a specific type of plant primarily valued for its culinary, medicinal, or aromatic uses. Herbs often have soft, non-woody stems and are used in cooking, medicine, and for fragrance. Examples include basil, mint, and parsley. A plant, in contrast, is a general term that refers to any member of the kingdom Plantae. This includes a vast array of organisms such as trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers, in addition to herbs.
While all herbs are plants, not all plants are herbs. Herbs are specifically chosen for their beneficial properties, whereas plants as a category include all forms of vegetative life. This broader classification encompasses a diverse range of species with varying characteristics and ecological functions.
Herbs tend to be smaller and are often grown in gardens or pots for easy access and use, whereas plants can range from tiny mosses to giant trees. The distinction highlights the specialized nature of herbs compared to the extensive diversity found within the plant kingdom.
In terms of care and cultivation, herbs generally require specific conditions suited to their growth for optimal flavor and potency, while plants as a whole vary widely in their environmental needs and growth habits.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Plant used for culinary, medicinal, or aromatic purposes
Any member of the kingdom Plantae
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Stem Type
Soft, non-woody
Can be woody or non-woody
Usage
Culinary, medicinal, aromatic
Ecological, ornamental, structural, etc.
Examples
Basil, mint, parsley
Trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers, herbs
Growth Environment
Often grown in gardens or pots
Wide range: forests, deserts, wetlands
Compare with Definitions
Herb
A plant used in herbal medicine.
Echinacea is an herb believed to boost the immune system.
Plant
Any living organism belonging to the kingdom Plantae.
The garden was filled with various types of plants, including flowers and shrubs.
Herb
A non-woody plant used in cooking.
Mint is a refreshing herb used in drinks and desserts.
Plant
An organism that typically produces its own food through photosynthesis.
Sunlight is essential for the growth of most plants.
Herb
A plant with therapeutic uses.
Lavender is an herb known for its calming effects.
Plant
A multicellular organism that plays a key role in ecosystems.
Plants provide oxygen and food for many other living organisms.
Herb
In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances; excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients. Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices.
Plant
A member of the Plantae kingdom, ranging from tiny mosses to giant trees.
Ferns are ancient plants that thrive in moist, shaded environments.
Herb
A plant whose stem does not produce woody, persistent tissue and generally dies back at the end of each growing season.
Plant
Plants are mainly multicellular organisms, predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, plants were treated as one of two kingdoms including all living things that were not animals, and all algae and fungi were treated as plants.
Herb
Any of various often aromatic plants used especially in medicine or as seasoning.
Plant
A living organism of the kind exemplified by trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, ferns, and mosses, typically growing in a permanent site, absorbing water and inorganic substances through its roots, and synthesizing nutrients in its leaves by photosynthesis using the green pigment chlorophyll.
Herb
(countable) Any green, leafy plant, or parts thereof, used to flavour or season food.
Plant
A place where an industrial or manufacturing process takes place
A giant car plant
Herb
(countable) A plant whose roots, leaves or seeds, etc. are used in medicine.
If any medicinal herbs used by witches were supposedly evil, then how come people from at least the past benefited from the healing properties of such herbs?
Plant
A person placed in a group as a spy or informer
We thought he was a CIA plant spreading disinformation
Herb
Cannabis.
Plant
A shot in which the cue ball is made to strike one of two touching or nearly touching balls with the result that the second is potted.
Herb
A plant whose stem is not woody and does not persist beyond each growing season
Plant
Put (a seed, bulb, or plant) in the ground so that it can grow
We planted a lot of fruit trees
Herb
Grass; herbage.
Plant
Set or place in a particular position
She planted a kiss on his cheek
He planted himself squarely in front of her
Herb
A lame or uncool person.
Plant
Any of various photosynthetic, eukaryotic, multicellular organisms of the kingdom Plantae characteristically containing chloroplasts, having cell walls made of cellulose, producing embryos, and lacking the power of locomotion. Plants include trees, bushes, herbs, ferns, mosses, and certain green algae.
Herb
A plant whose stem does not become woody and permanent, but dies, at least down to the ground, after flowering.
Plant
A plant having no permanent woody stem; an herb.
Herb
Grass; herbage.
And flocksGrazing the tender herb.
Plant
Any of various fungi, algae, or protists that resemble plants and were formerly classified in the plant kingdom. Not in scientific use.
Herb
A plant lacking a permanent woody stem; many are flowering garden plants or potherbs; some having medicinal properties; some are pests
Plant
A building or group of buildings for the manufacture of a product; a factory
Works in an auto plant.
Herb
Aromatic potherb used in cookery for its savory qualities
Plant
The buildings, fixtures, and equipment, including machinery, tools, and instruments, necessary for an industrial operation or an institution
The university's mechanical plant.
Herb
A plant valued for its flavor, scent, or medicinal properties.
She added fresh basil, a popular herb, to the pasta sauce.
Plant
A person placed in a group of spectators to influence behavior.
Herb
A plant grown for its aromatic qualities.
Rosemary is an herb with a strong fragrance, often used in cooking.
Plant
A person stationed in a given location as a spy or observer.
Plant
A misleading piece of evidence placed so as to be discovered.
Plant
A remark or action in a play or narrative that becomes important later.
Plant
(Slang) A scheming trick; a swindle.
Plant
To place or set (seeds, for example) in the ground to grow.
Plant
To place seeds or young plants in (land); sow
Plant a field in corn.
Plant
To place (spawn or young fish) in water or an underwater bed for cultivation
Plant oysters.
Plant
To stock with spawn or fish.
Plant
To introduce (an animal) into an area.
Plant
To place or fix in a certain position
Planted both feet on the ground.
Planted a kiss on my cheek.
Plant
To deliver (a punch or blow).
Plant
To fix firmly in the mind; implant
"The right of revolution is planted in the heart of man" (Clarence Darrow).
Plant
To establish; found
Plant a colony.
Plant
To station (a person) for the purpose of functioning in secret, as by observing, spying, or influencing behavior
Detectives were planted all over the store.
Plant
To place secretly or deceptively so as to be discovered or made public
Planted a gun on the corpse to make the death look like suicide.
Plant
To conceal; hide
Planted the stolen goods in the warehouse.
Plant
(botany) An organism that is not an animal, especially an organism capable of photosynthesis. Typically a small or herbaceous organism of this kind, rather than a tree.
The garden had a couple of trees, and a cluster of colourful plants around the border.
Plant
(botany) An organism of the kingdom Plantae; now specifically, a living organism of the Embryophyta (land plants) or of the Chlorophyta (green algae), a eukaryote that includes double-membraned chloroplasts in its cells containing chlorophyll a and b, or any organism closely related to such an organism.
Plant
(ecology) Now specifically, a multicellular eukaryote that includes chloroplasts in its cells, which have a cell wall.
Plant
Any creature that grows on soil or similar surfaces, including plants and fungi.
Plant
A factory or other industrial or institutional building or facility.
Plant
An object placed surreptitiously in order to cause suspicion to fall upon a person.
That gun's not mine! It's a plant! I've never seen it before!
Plant
Anyone assigned to behave as a member of the public during a covert operation (as in a police investigation).
Plant
A person, placed amongst an audience, whose role is to cause confusion, laughter etc.
Plant
(snooker) A play in which the cue ball knocks one (usually red) ball onto another, in order to pot the second; a set.
Plant
(uncountable) Machinery, such as the kind used in earthmoving or construction.
Plant
(obsolete) A young tree; a sapling; hence, a stick or staff.
Plant
(obsolete) The sole of the foot.
Plant
A plan; a swindle; a trick.
Plant
An oyster which has been bedded, in distinction from one of natural growth.
Plant
A young oyster suitable for transplanting.
Plant
(control theory) The combination of process and actuator.
Plant
(ambitransitive) To place (a seed or plant) in soil or other substrate in order that it may live and grow.
Plant
(transitive) To place (an object, or sometimes a person), often with the implication of intending deceit.
That gun's not mine! It was planted there by the real murderer!
Plant
(transitive) To place or set something firmly or with conviction.
Plant your feet firmly and give the rope a good tug.
To plant cannon against a fort; to plant a flag; to plant one's feet on solid ground
Plant
To place in the ground.
Plant
To furnish or supply with plants.
To plant a garden, an orchard, or a forest
Plant
To engender; to generate; to set the germ of.
Plant
To furnish with a fixed and organized population; to settle; to establish.
To plant a colony
Plant
To introduce and establish the principles or seeds of.
To plant Christianity among the heathen
Plant
To set up; to install; to instate.
Plant
A vegetable; an organized living being, generally without feeling and voluntary motion, and having, when complete, a root, stem, and leaves, though consisting sometimes only of a single leafy expansion, or a series of cellules, or even a single cellule.
Plant
A bush, or young tree; a sapling; hence, a stick or staff.
Plant
The sole of the foot.
Plant
The whole machinery and apparatus employed in carrying on a trade or mechanical business; also, sometimes including real estate, and whatever represents investment of capital in the means of carrying on a business, but not including material worked upon or finished products; as, the plant of a foundry, a mill, or a railroad.
Plant
A plan; an artifice; a swindle; a trick.
It was n't a bad plant, that of mine, on Fikey.
Plant
An oyster which has been bedded, in distinction from one of natural growth.
Plant
To put in the ground and cover, as seed for growth; as, to plant maize.
Plant
To set in the ground for growth, as a young tree, or a vegetable with roots.
Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees.
Plant
To furnish, or fit out, with plants; as, to plant a garden, an orchard, or a forest.
Plant
To engender; to generate; to set the germ of.
It engenders choler, planteth anger.
Plant
To furnish with a fixed and organized population; to settle; to establish; as, to plant a colony.
Planting of countries like planting of woods.
Plant
To introduce and establish the principles or seeds of; as, to plant Christianity among the heathen.
Plant
To set firmly; to fix; to set and direct, or point; as, to plant cannon against a fort; to plant a standard in any place; to plant one's feet on solid ground; to plant one's fist in another's face.
Plant
To set up; to install; to instate.
We will plant some other in the throne.
Plant
To perform the act of planting.
I have planted; Apollos watered.
Plant
Buildings for carrying on industrial labor;
They built a large plant to manufacture automobiles
Plant
A living organism lacking the power of locomotion
Plant
Something planted secretly for discovery by another;
The police used a plant to trick the thieves
He claimed that the evidence against him was a plant
Plant
An actor situated in the audience whose acting is rehearsed but seems spontaneous to the audience
Plant
Put or set (seeds or seedlings) into the ground;
Let's plant flowers in the garden
Plant
Fix or set securely or deeply;
He planted a knee in the back of his opponent
The dentist implanted a tooth in the gum
Plant
Set up or lay the groundwork for;
Establish a new department
Plant
Place into a river;
Plant fish
Plant
Place something or someone in a certain position in order to secretly observe or deceive;
Plant a spy in Moscow
Plant bugs in the dissident's apartment
Plant
Put firmly in the mind;
Plant a thought in the students' minds
Plant
A living entity that grows in soil and has a stem, leaves, and roots.
The oak tree is a large plant that can live for hundreds of years.
Common Curiosities
Are all herbs plants?
Yes, all herbs are plants.
What is a herb?
A herb is a type of plant used for its culinary, medicinal, or aromatic properties.
Are all plants herbs?
No, not all plants are herbs. Herbs are a specific subset of plants.
What are some common uses of herbs?
Herbs are commonly used in cooking, traditional medicine, and for their fragrance.
What is a plant?
A plant is any member of the kingdom Plantae, encompassing a wide range of organisms from tiny mosses to large trees.
Can herbs be woody?
Typically, herbs have soft, non-woody stems, but there are exceptions like rosemary.
Are there medicinal plants that are not herbs?
Yes, some medicinal plants, like certain trees and shrubs, are not classified as herbs.
Do herbs require specific growing conditions?
Yes, herbs often require specific conditions for optimal growth and potency.
What role do plants play in the environment?
Plants provide oxygen, food, and habitat, and play a critical role in ecosystems.
What distinguishes a herb from other plants?
Herbs are specifically valued for their culinary, medicinal, or aromatic uses.
Do plants have a broader range of uses than herbs?
Yes, plants have a wide range of uses including ecological, structural, and ornamental roles.
Can herbs be grown indoors?
Yes, many herbs are suitable for indoor growing in pots.
What are examples of non-herb plants?
Trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers are examples of non-herb plants.
Can a plant be both a herb and another type of plant?
Yes, a plant can be both a herb and another type, such as woody herbs like rosemary.
Can herbs be used for ornamental purposes?
Yes, many herbs are also used for their ornamental value in gardens and landscapes.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
