Herbs or weeds?

What's in a name? A Rose by another name would still smell as sweet. Yet, whether a dandelion is labelled a herb or weed makes a difference to the human eyes that perceive it and often decides if it gets to live or not. 

Plants can be labelled herbs if that plant is valued for its culinary, medicinal, or aromatic properties - think of herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and lavender. 

On the other hand, a weed is a plant that is considered undesirable or invasive. Weeds can be any type of plant and common examples of weeds you would find in your lawn or park in Western Europe could include dandelions, thistles, and nettles.

I find this distinction problematic - because I think weeds are mostly misunderstood herbs. The above mentioned dandelions, thistles and nettles all have medicinal properties and can be foraged from parks or places that are not sprayed with pesticides or otherwise polluted. These plants also support a variety of wildlife and biodiversity, also in urban areas where we need to create better habitats for our more-than-human kin.

Below you will find some herb profiles of plants that are considered both herbs and weeds, depending who you ask. These profiles cover the benefits of these herbs on local ecology, human health and their common uses for humans.