7 Unusual Herb Plants You Need to Try: Discover Unique Flavours for Your Garden

If you love growing herbs but want something a little different from the usual basil, parsley, and mint, there are plenty of unusual herb plants waiting to be discovered. These unique varieties can add exciting flavours, interesting aromas, and beautiful textures to your garden while giving you something truly different to enjoy in the kitchen.

From herbs that taste like olives to plants with chocolate and cola-inspired scents, growing unusual herbs is a great way to make your garden stand out.

Why Grow Unusual Herbs?

Growing rare and unusual herbs allows you to explore new flavours while creating a more diverse and interesting garden. Many unusual herbs are just as easy to grow as traditional varieties, making them perfect for beginners and experienced gardeners alike.

They also make fantastic conversation starters, unusual gifts, and excellent additions to container gardens, patios, and kitchen windowsills.

Here are seven unusual herb plants you need to try.

1. Olive Herb

Olive herb is a fascinating plant with slender, aromatic leaves that have a flavour and fragrance reminiscent of olives. It is a fantastic choice for anyone who enjoys Mediterranean cooking and wants to grow something different.

Use olive herb fresh in salads, pasta dishes, marinades, or chopped over bread and cheese. Its silvery-green foliage also makes it an attractive addition to herb borders and containers.

Like many Mediterranean herbs, olive herb prefers a sunny position with well-drained soil.

2. Chocolate Mint

Chocolate mint is a deliciously scented variety of mint with a refreshing mint flavour combined with a subtle chocolate aroma.

It is perfect for desserts, hot chocolate, ice cream, smoothies, and refreshing summer drinks. Like other mint varieties, it grows vigorously, so keeping it in a pot is often the best way to control its spread.

Its dark green leaves and rich fragrance make it a favourite among gardeners looking for something unusual.

3. Cola Plant

The cola plant is one of the most unusual aromatic herbs you can grow. When the feathery silver foliage is brushed or crushed, it releases a scent similar to cola.

Although it isn't used to make cola drinks, it makes a fascinating sensory plant for gardens, patios, and containers. Its unusual fragrance makes it especially popular with children and anyone looking for a fun talking point in the garden.

4. African Blue Basil

African blue basil is a stunning basil variety that combines beautiful purple-tinted stems, attractive flowers, and a strong basil aroma.

Unlike many traditional basil varieties, African blue basil is a perennial in suitable conditions, meaning it can provide interest for longer. Its flowers are also highly attractive to bees and other pollinators.

Use it in cooking like traditional basil, or grow it simply as an ornamental and wildlife-friendly herb.

5. Strawberry Mint

Strawberry mint offers a fruity twist on the classic mint plant. Its fresh leaves have a sweet, refreshing aroma that works wonderfully in drinks, fruit salads, desserts, and summer recipes.

It is also an excellent choice for containers, where its attractive foliage and fragrance can be enjoyed close to patios and seating areas.

6. Curry Plant

Curry plant is instantly recognisable thanks to its silvery foliage and warm, spicy fragrance. While it doesn't taste like curry powder and shouldn't be used as a direct substitute, its aroma makes it a fascinating addition to a herb garden.

It thrives in sunny, dry conditions and works well in Mediterranean-style planting schemes.

7. Vietnamese Coriander

Vietnamese coriander is an excellent alternative to traditional coriander, especially for gardeners who struggle with coriander quickly going to seed.

It has a fresh, spicy flavour that works beautifully in Asian-inspired dishes, salads, soups, and stir-fries. It prefers warmer conditions and performs particularly well when grown in containers.

Grow Something Different This Year

Unusual herb plants are a wonderful way to bring excitement and variety to your garden. Whether you want new flavours for cooking, fragrant plants for your patio, or unique varieties that impress visitors, there are countless herbs beyond the traditional favourites.

From chocolate-scented mint to olive-flavoured leaves and cola-inspired aromas, these unusual herbs prove that growing your own plants can be full of surprises.

Start with one or two unique varieties and you may soon discover a whole new world of flavours, fragrances, and gardening possibilities.