Thai Basil, Ocimum basilicum, is known as bai horapa in Thailand and hun que in Vietnam. Lush green leaves and purplish flowers have sweet basil fragrance with anise overtones. Indispensable in Thai green and red curries, and spicy stir fry dishes. Delightful with other herbs on raw vegetable platters, or with spicy salads and chili dips. Also useful as a garnish for sweet dishes or as a spicy pesto. Grows 12-18 inches tall.  Plant in full sun, in rich soil with adequate fertilizer. Pinch blooms to shape and encourage leaf growth. More about Thai Basil.

Lemongrass, Cymbopogon citrates, is valued in the garden for its fresh lemony fragrance, carefree ornamental appearance and toughness. Unlike many ornamental grasses, it has no sharp edges to cut skin, so is safe to grow near walkways or where children play. Fleshy basal stalks are an essential flavoring ingredient in many Thai and Vietnamese recipes. Use the leaves for teas, cooking, and potpourri. Lemongrass is easy to grow, and adapts well to partial shade and moist conditions. Plants are fast growing and can get quite large – up to 3 feet tall and wide – but are not invasive.  

Thai Chili Pepper, Capsicum frutescens, is a very hot pepper variety (50,000 to 100,000 on the Scoville pungency scale). It is known as prik ki nu in Thailand, its home of origin. Plants grow to about 12 inches, and become covered with 1 ½ inch to 3 inch long peppers that are green at first but ripen to red. Both colors appear on the plant at the same time, making this variety ornamental as well as edible. Peppers are thin fleshed. Use fresh or dried.

Vietnamese Coriander, Polygonum odoratum, is a popular herb in South Asian Cuisines. Known as pak pai (ผักไผ่) in Thai and rau răm in Vietnamese, it is also widely used in the cuisines of Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia. Leaves are an attractive dark green with light brown surface spots and burgundy red undersides. Use the lemon flavored leaves like cilantro - raw in spring rolls and salads, or tossed into soups and stir fried dishes. Pak pai prefers warm, moist environments and can be grown in containers or in the ground, reaching up to two feet in height. Provide afternoon shade in hot summer areas. Because it can grow quickly, container grown plants may need transplanting before the growing season is over. It does not tolerate freezing conditions, but can be overwintered indoors.