Is tea a herb?

[Frederick Williams]

Is tea a herb? Just that, with apologies if it's not exactly OT. Oh, there is one more thing: is 'herb' pronounced erb?

[phorbin]

Tea is camellia sinensis and it is an herb.

Both pronunciations are correct.

[Frederick Williams]

Thank you for the prompt and to-the-point answer.

[David Hare-Scott]

I would not think it is a herb in the botanical sense as it has woody stems and doesn't die down seasonally, it's a herb in the cullinary/medicinal sense.

There is no definitive answer to this one in an international forum. With the "h" sounded is more common where I am, with it silent is likely to be usage from a French language or dialectic background but that doesn't mean it's wrong. In other places the silent form could be more common.

David

[Bill]

Bill

[phorbin]

A fair point. OED lists the culinary/medicinal first and botanical second.

Around here, most of the people I know pronounce it erb. I was taught to "put 'an' before herb because the h is silent."

[Frederick Williams]

Indeed, this distinction was part of the reason for me asking.

[Dioclese]

I say "herb" with the "h" silent to distinguish when talking to, or in hearing distance of Herb (Herbert). I'm definitely not French. I believe I learned the pronunciation in a Catholic elementary school. Latin, not French, was the closest to a second language I had at the time. The predominant nationality of teachers and church staff was Irish. Was definitely not part of any conversations I had in my early years.

[Ed]

The Rosemary bush in my garden has woody stems and does not die down seasonally. And yet, Rosemary is a herb!

Ed

[David Hare-Scott]

Sure it is a medicinal/culinary herb. From Wikipedia:

"In botanical usage a herb or herbaceous plant is any non-woody plant, regardless of its flavor, scent or other properties. A botanical herb cannot therefore be a woody plant such as a tree or shrub."

David

[David Hare-Scott]

The Irish - Catholic connection is interesting. As a child I met numerous children brought up as Catholics who refered to the letter "h" as haitch but those who were brought up protestants said aitch. I later learned that this is not a peculiarity of religion at all (in my region at least) but that it came from many of the teachers in the Catholic private education system being of Irish origin whereas the non-catholics mostly went to public schools where the teachers were not Irish. I don't recall them saying 'erb though but we didn't discuss herbs much.

In the way of kids the cafliks yelled insults (and sometimes rocks) at the prodes over the fence and vic-versa. On one memorable occasion some of the older boys were lined up for a scuffle and each declared "I'm Catholic" or "I'm Church of England" as the case might be. The battle lines were drawn and they turned to me and I said quaking "I'm Kindergarten" and so was excused the ensuing melee.

David

[Bill]

"I'm Kindergarten" and so was excused the ensuing melee.

Smart at a young age.

Not to worry it is just the battle of Culloden being replayed.

Bill

[Billy]

Somebody has jumped the rails here. An herb is what it does in cooking; flavor. That would include parsley, rosemary, and bay. A medicinal herb is an unprocessed plant that has curative properties and includes yarrow leaves, and buck-eye balls.

[Omelet]

What is buck eye good for? Last I read, they were toxic.

[phorbin]

Untreated, yes.

Supposedly the saponins can be leeched out and they can be used for food or coffee substitute.

[Omelet]

Ok, that;s interesting, thanks!

[Billy]

venous insufficiency Edema Hemorrhoids Sprains and other injuries Varicose veins

and

Analgesic; Antiinflammatory; Astringent; Bach; Diuretic; Expectorant; Febrifuge; Haemostatic; Narcotic; Tonic; Vasoconstrictor; Vulnerary.

The roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute

[kris anthem um]

I thought it was always pronounced herb, unless it be the smoking kind, in which case it is most definetly 'erb'. As in "this be some good erb mon".

yours jokingly, kris.

[Henriette Kress]

Nice as a low-dose tincture for vein problems like hemorrhoids and varicosities; very nice as a salve for the same.

Although I prefer Aesculus leaves (not fruit) for the salve.

Henriette

[Omelet]

Fascinating... Thanks!