North America is the native home to a wide variety of herbs and a handful of spices. Some herbs and spices are interchangeable, and the defining aspects of each are often blurred. Herbs are any part of a plant used as a savory addition to food, and some have medicinal qualities. According to the New World Encyclopedia, a spice is any part of a herbaceous or woody plant that is dried and used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for the purpose of flavoring, or sometimes as a preservative.
Uva Ursi
Also known as "bearberry," this festive-looking shrub grows in high alpine forests in North America. Bears seek out this evergreen plant for its bright-red edible berries. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, uva ursi leaves were widely used for treating bladder infections until the discovery of sulfa drugs and antibiotics.
California Buckeye
Truly a "tree of life," the seeds of this tree were utilized for food and medicinal purposes by indigenous tribal people in California. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports two medicinal uses of the California buckeye: The bark was cut from the base of the tree and made into a poultice for snakebites, and the seeds were cut into pieces, then mixed with water to form suppositories for hemorrhoids.
American Hogpeanut
Found in a variety of regions from the woodlands to the prairies, this hardy little vine is a member of the bean family. However, the peas on the upper part of the plant are not edible. The roots and fruit were used as a food source and digestive aid by the Chippewa people, and Cherokees made a tea with the roots to address diarrhea, according to the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Juniper Berries
Known primarily as a yard ornament in modern society, this native shrub has berries that can be used to spice up roasted pork, beef, stew or sausage dishes. A hardy evergreen able to thrive in a variety of climes, the juniper bush is found throughout North America.
Vanilla
Beloved around the world for its delightful fragrance and flavor enhancement of desserts, chocolate, coffee and other beverages, vanilla is native to the southern regions of North America in Mexico. Although other varieties are found in Madagascar and Tahiti, Mexican vanilla has a richer, earthier flavor, according to the experts at The Spice House in Chicago, Illinois. They recommend adding a dash of Mexican vanilla to tomato dishes such as chili, both to enhance the flavors and because the vanilla neutralizes the acidity of the tomatoes.
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