In Herbaceous, herb collectors will compete to grow and store the most valuable medley of herbs. Everyone begins with four containers, each of which allows a different grouping action:

• Group herbs of the same type
• Group herbs of different types
• Group pairs of herbs
• Group any three types of herbs (same or different)
• On your turn, draw an herb, then decide to either keep it in your personal collection or put in into the communal pile. If kept, the next card moves to the communal pile; if placed in the communal pile, the following card goes in your personal collection.

At the beginning of your turn, you can decide to use a container. If so, assemble cards from personal and communal spaces, group them, then turn them all over. You have now "collected" those and can't use the container again.

At the end of the game, collectors determine the best collection from a combination of value from their collection, matching herbs, and herb sets.