| − | '''Herbs''' ([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]: hə({{IPA|ɹ}})b, or ə{{IPA|ɹ}}b; see [[American and British English pronunciation differences#Single differences|pronunciation differences]]) are seed-bearing [[plant]]s without woody stems, which die down to the ground after flowering.<ref>{{cite web
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| − | Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal, or in some cases even spiritual usage. The green, leafy part of the plant is often used, but herbal medicine makes use of the roots, flowers, seeds, root bark, inner bark (cambium), berries and sometimes the pericarp or other portions. General usage differs between culinary herbs and medicinal herbs. A medicinal herb may be a shrub or other woody plant, whereas a culinary herb is a non-woody plant, typically using the leaves. By contrast, [[spice]]s are the [[seed]]s, [[berry|berries]], [[bark]], [[root]], [[fruit]], or other parts of the plant, even leaves in some cases; although any of these, as well as any edible fruits or vegetables, may be considered "herbs" in medicinal or spiritual use. Culinary herbs are distinguished from [[vegetable]]s in that they are used in small amounts and provide [[flavor]] (similar to spices) rather than substance to [[food]]. In this sense, some herbs contain phytochemicals that when consumed in small quantities can be healthy, yet in large quantities can be toxic to the liver.
| + | In common usage herb refers to plants with culinary, medicinal or similar uses. |