In article , Sacha
writes

My dictionary's definition of bay doesn't give it as a herb; it describes it
as the "laurel tree, species of Magnolia, Myrica" etc. but calls the bay
leaf "a flavouring agent in cooking". So I suppose it is not to be
considered a herb as in herbaceous which again is defined as "herb: a plant
with a woody stem above ground, distinguished from a tree or shrub: a plant
used in medicine: an aromatic plant used in cookery." "Herbaceous -
pertaining to, composed of, containing, or of the nature of herbs; like
ordinary foliage leaves: usually understood as of tall herbs that die down
in winter and survive in underground parts."
So it would appear that you and all of us would be wrong in calling bay a
herb.

That gets us back to the problem with so many words that have been
borrowed for use in other fields! If you take the first definition, then
'herb' is a synonym for herbaceous, and would include a whole lot of
things (eg thornapple, foxglove) that you would never dream of using in
cooking ... then you move to the second definition 'a plant used in
medicine' where foxglove would fit in nicely .. and to the third 'an
aromatic plant used in cookery' which definitely fits bay, but has now
moved away from the first definition.

Bit like 'fruit' really.


For the OP the answer is "yes, tarragon does regrow from its roots."
And it is herbaceous because it has a woody stem, dies down in winter and
grows again in spring/summer. And 'not all' plants called herbs follow
that pattern or botanical description. ;-)

Yep! We're agreed :-)


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm