Herb
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A Herb is an item used to make potions through the Herblore skill. There are many herbs, each of which can be either "clean" or "grimy". Herbs must be clean to be used in potions. Players can clean grimy herbs, provided that they have the minimum required Herblore level; this varies from one type of herb to another.
When making potions, players must combine a herb with a vial of water, or coconut milk for a few high-level potions). They must then add a secondary ingredient. Some herbs can be used to make more than one type of potion.
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[edit] Clean versus grimy
Herbs are divided into two types: "grimy" and "clean". Only the latter can be used in potion-making; players must clean the grimy herbs (gaining some Herblore experience) before using them in potions. However, each type of herb has a minimum Herblore level that players need to do so.
Players who do not have the required Herblore level to clean a herb can take it to the herbalist in Nardah, who will clean it for 200 coins. Alternatively, they can use the Assist System to have another player clean it for them.
However, if a player's Herblore level is high enough to use the herb in potions then it is high enough to clean the herb. Therefore, players would be well advised to leave the herb grimy and just store it in their bank until they can clean it themselves and gain the experience for doing so.
Grimy herbs may be worth more on the Grand Exchange than clean herbs, especially lower-level herbs. Therefore, players who are trying to grow them for money may be better off selling them grimy, even if they have a high enough Herblore level to clean them.
[edit] Obtaining herbs
Grimy herbs are available as drops from various monsters, including very low-level opponents such as men in Lumbridge.
Players can grow herbs with the Farming skill. They need to obtain the correct seeds for the type of herb they wish to grow, and plant them in a herb patch. The herb patch used during My Arm's Big Adventure can be useful, as herbs grown in it cannot become diseased.
Players can buy and sell both clean and grimy herbs at the Grand Exchange.
[edit] Herb table
| Grimy herb | Clean herb | Name | Level required to clean | Experience for cleaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | Guam leaf | 3 | 2.5 |
 |  | Marrentill | 5 | 3.75 |
 |  | Tarromin | 11 | 5 |
 |  | Harralander | 20 | 6.25 |
 |  | Ranarr weed | 25 | 7.5 |
 |  | Toadflax | 30 | 8 |
 |  | Spirit weed | 35 | 7.8 |
 |  | Irit leaf | 40 | 8.75 |
 |  | Avantoe | 48 | 10 |
 |  | Kwuarm | 54 | 11.25 |
 |  | Snapdragon | 59 | 11.75 |
 |  | Cadantine | 65 | 12.5 |
 |  | Lantadyme | 67 | 13.125 |
 |  | Dwarf weed | 70 | 13.75 |
 |  | Torstol | 75 | 15 |
Goutweed is a rare herb that plays a role in Dream Mentor and Eadgar's Ruse. Sanfew will exchange random other herbs for them at a 1:1 ratio.
[edit] Jungle Potion herbs
These herbs can only be cleaned after the start of the Jungle Potion quest. They play a role in that quest, and are not tradable.
| Grimy herb | Clean herb | Name | Level required to clean | Experience for cleaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | Ardrigal | 3 | 2.5 |
 |  | Rogue's purse | 3 | 2.5 |
 |  | Sito foil | 3 | 2.5 |
 |  | Snake weed | 3 | 2.5 |
 |  | Volencia moss | 3 | 2.5 |
[edit] History
Before the Herbal Remedies update on the 10 September 2007, herbs were divided into "unidentified" and "identified" instead of grimy and clean. Unidentified herbs could not be used in potions, and had to be identified (equivalent to cleaning in the current system) by a player with the requisite Herblore level.
Each type of herb, identified or not, was placed in a separate stack in the bank; for example, all unidentified ranarr weeds would be in one stack, and all unidentified tarromins would be in another. However, they all had the same name, "Herb".
This became a scamming issue, as player selling unidentified herbs could claim that the herbs were higher level (and therefore more valuable) than they actually were. At that time, the trade window did not give any indication at all of the value of items being traded; this was not introduced until the Trade and Drop Changes update of the 10 December 2007.
The buyer could only determine which herb they were buying by identifying it themselves after they had bought it. To remove this scam, Jagex replaced unidentified herbs with grimy herbs, and identified herbs with clean herbs. They also changed the herb graphics.
| Herbs |
| Guam (grimy) | Marrentill (grimy) | Tarromin (grimy) | Harralander (grimy) Ranarr (grimy) | Toadflax (grimy) | Irit (grimy) | Spirit weed (grimy) Avantoe (grimy) | Kwuarm (grimy) | Snapdragon (grimy) | Cadantine (grimy) Lantadyme (grimy) | Dwarf weed (grimy) | Torstol (grimy)
|
| Special herbs |
Snake weed | Ardrigal | Sito foil | Volencia moss |  Rogue's purse |  Goutweed
|
