Quinta da Tapada

PT: Sálvia Branca
DE: Weißer Salbei

• Antimicrobial: volatile oils inhibit bacteria and fungi
• Aromatic and ceremonial: prized for cleansing rituals and its long-lasting fragrance
• Silver foliage: drought-tolerant Mediterranean ornamental

PT: Sálvia Groselha Negra
DE: Johannisbeer-Salbei

• Intense blackcurrant scent: leaves are fragrant when touched
• Long flowering season: magenta blooms attract pollinators from summer to first frost
• Edible flowers and leaves: a good garnish for desserts and teas

PT: Cardamomo
DE: Kardamom

• Culinary spice: aromatic seeds used in chai, pastries and curry
• Traditionally used in Ayurveda for digestion and bloating
• Tropical ornamental: broad, aromatic leaves; rarely flowers outside the tropics

PT: Áloe Maculada
DE: Gefleckte Aloe

• Saponin-rich: can be used as a natural soap substitute and for minor wound care
• Spotted rosettes: an architectural plant for sunny borders
• Low-maintenance succulent: thrives in sunny, well-drained spots

PT: Artemísia Abrotano
DE: Eberraute

• Natural repellent: foliage is thought to deter moths and aphids
• Bitter tonic: traditionally used to stimulate digestion and appetite
• Aromatic grey-green shrub: a tidy addition to herb garden borders

PT: Alecrim Flor Roxa
DE: Rosmarin Violett

• Culinary staple: aromatic leaves used with roasts, bread and oils
• Researched for memory and focus (rosmarinic acid); evidence is still limited
• Drought-hardy and bee-friendly: flowers early and abundantly

PT: Alecrim Flor Branca
DE: Rosmarin Weißblütig

• Elegant white blooms: a less common form for herb borders
• Same culinary and medicinal uses as common rosemary
• Evergreen structure: foliage and fragrance year-round

PT: Tomilho
DE: Thymian

• Antiseptic properties: thymol has shown antibacterial and antifungal effects in lab studies
• Kitchen essential: a cornerstone of Mediterranean and French cooking
• Low groundcover: suits path edging; flowers are popular with bees

PT: Goji
DE: Goji-Beere

• Rich in antioxidants and polysaccharides
• Traditionally used as a tonic in Chinese medicine
• Hardy fruiting shrub: easy to grow, drought-tolerant once established

DE: Wollige Ballote

• Silver, woolly foliage: a strongly drought- and heat-tolerant ornamental
• Related species have traditionally been used as an expectorant in cough remedies
• Architectural sub-shrub: adds textural contrast to Mediterranean planting

PT: Capim-Limão
DE: Zitronengras

• Culinary cornerstone: essential in Thai, Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian cooking
• Citral-rich oil is used in natural insect repellents
• Makes a refreshing herbal tea, traditionally used for digestion

PT: Hortelã Laranja
DE: Orangen-Minze

• Distinctive citrus-mint aroma, similar to bergamot: good for teas and cocktails
• Vigorous groundcover: suits aromatic paths and containers
• Digestive herb: shares the classic properties of mint for gut comfort

PT: Coentro Vietnamita
DE: Vietnamesischer Koriander

• Intense coriander-lemon flavour: a common coriander substitute in Southeast Asia
• Leaf extracts have shown antibacterial effects in studies
• Heat-tolerant perennial: keeps producing where annual coriander would bolt

PT: Sálvia Ananás
DE: Ananas-Salbei

• Pineapple-scented leaves: good in fruit salads and drinks
• Bright scarlet flowers in late season, attractive to bees
• Traditionally used as a mild calming herb in Mexican folk medicine

PT: Orelha de Cordeiro
DE: Woll-Ziest / Lammohr

• Ultra-soft, velvety silver foliage with a distinctive texture
• Historically used as a natural wound dressing, thanks to its astringent properties
• Very drought-tolerant: a reliable edging plant for poor, sunny soil

PT: Lúpulo
DE: Hopfen

• Essential in brewing: female flowers (strobiles) provide bitterness and act as a preservative
• Contains humulone and lupulone, associated with mild sedative effects
• Vigorous ornamental climber: can cover a pergola within a single growing season

DE: Gewöhnlicher Beifuß

• Traditionally used as a bitter herb for digestion and in moxibustion therapy
• Aromatic culinary herb: a traditional stuffing herb for fatty meats in Europe
• Supports local wildlife as a larval host plant for several moth species

PT: Zaatar / Orégão Sírio
DE: Za’atar / Syrischer Oregano

• The base herb for za’atar spice blends: a Middle Eastern culinary staple with a richer flavour than common oregano
• High carvacrol content: one of the more potent natural antimicrobial herbs
• Long valued in Levantine cooking and traditional medicine

PT: Segurelha Branca
DE: Weißblühendes Berg-Bohnenkraut

• Peppery culinary herb: a classic companion to beans in European cooking
• Rich in aromatic oils with antiseptic properties
• White flowers in summer, popular with bees; suits rock gardens

PT: Absinto / Losna
DE: Wermut / Echter Absinth

• A legendary bitter tonic and source of thujone, historically used in absinthe and vermouth
• Very bitter and toxic in larger amounts (thujone); not for home remedies
• Deeply cut, silver foliage makes a bold architectural statement in the garden

PT: Matricária / Artemísia das Boticas
DE: Mutterkraut / Fieberkraut

• Traditionally used for migraine; research results are mixed
• Traditionally used for its anti-inflammatory properties
• Cheerful daisy-like flowers, blooming profusely through summer

PT: Orégão – Variedades Mistas
DE: Oregano – Verschiedene Sorten

• A culinary essential in Italian, Greek and Turkish cooking
• Rich in antioxidants: carvacrol and thymol offer strong antimicrobial protection
• A good bee plant: dense flowers attract bees and butterflies

PT: Trigo-Sarraceno Perene
DE: Mehrjähriger Buchweizen

• Rutin-rich: associated with capillary health and circulation
• An exceptional pollinator plant: tiny white flowers bloom for months
• Fast-growing groundcover: helps suppress weeds and enrich the soil

PT: Jiaogulan / Erva da Imortalidade
DE: Jiaogulan / Unsterblichkeitskraut

• An adaptogenic herb, containing gypenosides associated with stress resilience and immune support
• Researched for effects on cholesterol and blood pressure; evidence is limited
• Makes a caffeine-free tea with a refreshing, cucumber-like flavour

PT: Amora Sem Espinhos
DE: Stachellose Brombeere

• Prolific fruiting: large, sweet berries without the difficulty of thorns
• Rich in anthocyanins: dark fruit with high antioxidant value
• Good for wildlife: flowers for pollinators, fruit for birds

PT: Confrei Russo
DE: Russischer Beinwell

• Leaves are one of the highest plant sources of potassium: useful for a liquid feed
• Contains allantoin, traditionally used on the skin for minor wounds
• Deep roots draw up minerals from the subsoil that shallow-rooted plants can’t reach