Herbalism is an almost necessary requirement for Alchemy. You're going to find herbs all around the world, so why not get this skill and take advantage of it? Alchemy is a great skill that allows you to generate all sorts of instant and temporary potions to improve a character's effectiveness.

First of all make your way to the nearest herbalism trainer. Often, alchemists are situated nearby herbalists, so you can learn both closely related skills in the same location.

Once you've acquired the basics, you're ready to go. Herbalism requires no additional items to use. Be sure to keep a lot of empty bag space for all the herbs you're about to pick up. If you get a lot of extra herbs that you can't use, you can store them in the bank or sell them to other players.

After you have learned the beginning-level herbalism, you will gain the "Find Herbs" ability, which will display nearby herbs as yellow dots on your mini-map. To use it, simply drag the icon down to your action bar and press the corresponding button. Be sure to pay attention to keeping it active; otherwise you may miss important plants!

If while adventuring you spot a yellow dot on your mini map, you've found a plant! Move your cursor over to your mini-map and hold it over the dot. A small window will appear and display the name of the plant. If you decide you want to harvest it, begin running toward it. Watch out for any monsters in your path that may attack you.

Plants can be found underwater and even in caves.

Getting the Goods

Approach the plant. Once you're close enough, the action cursor will light up and you can begin harvesting. If you fail on your first attempt, try again. All plants have a minimum skill requirement before you can attempt to harvest them. If your skill is too low, you won't be able to collect the herbs. Once you're successful, a window displaying the contents of the plant will open. Each plant usually contains one to three herbs. Right-click the herbs in this window to move them to your backpack. After you collect the herbs, the plant disappears.

Each plant requires a minimum skill in herbalism to harvest. Depending on the level of the plant, you may gain skill levels when you succeed in gathering. The further away your skill is from the level of the plant, the less likely you are to receive a skill increase. The skill required to successfully use a plant also corresponds to the regions it can be found in. Easier plants are found in the lower-level areas, and more difficult plants in the higher-level zones.

Peacebloom - 1 - open
Silverleaf - 1 - near trees
Earthroot - 15 - cliffs
Mageroyal - 50 - open
Briarthorn - 70 - near trees
Swifthistle* - -
Stranglekelp - 85 - in water
Bruiseweed - 100 - near buildings or cliffs
Wild Steelbloom - 115 - cliffs
Grave Moss - 120 - graveyards
Kingsblood - 125 - open
Liferoot - 150 - edge of water/streams
Fadeleaf - 160 - near trees
Goldthorn - 170 - cliffs
Khadgar's Whisker - 185 - near trees
Wintersbite - 195 - open
Firebloom - 205 - open
Purple Lotus - 210 - near ruins
Wildvine** - -
Arthas' Tears - 220 - open
Sungrass - 230 - open
Blindweed - 235 - near water
Ghost Mushroom - 245 - caves
Gromsblood - 250 - open
Golden Sansam - 260 - open
Dreamfoil - 270 - open
Mountain Silversage - 280 - cliffs
Plaguebloom - 285 - open
Icecap - 290 - cliffs
Black Lotus - 300 - open
Fel Lotus*** - -
Felweed - 300 - open
Dreaming Glory - 315 - cliffs
Terocone - 325 - near trees
Ragveil - 325 - open
Flame Cap - 335 - open
Ancient Lichen - 340 - dungeon
Netherbloom - 350 - open
Nightmare Vine - 365 - open
Mana Thistle - 375 - open

*Swifthistle is found along with Briarthorn and Mageroyal.
**Wildvine can be found with Purple Lotus.
***Fel Lotus can be found inside most Outland herbs.

Specific herbs can be found in the following locations:

Peacebloom
Darkshore, Dun Morogh, Durotar, Elwynn Forest, Loch Modan, Mulgore, Silverpine Forest, Teldrassil, The Barrens, Tirisfal Glades, Westfall
Silverleaf
Darkshore, Dun Morogh, Durotar, Elwynn Forest, Loch Modan, Mulgore, Silverpine Forest, Teldrassil, The Barrens, Thunder Bluff, Tirisfal Glades, Westfall
Earthroot
Darkshore, Dun Morogh, Durotar, Elwynn Forest, Loch Modan, Mulgore, Redridge Mountains, Silverpine Forest, Teldrassil, The Barrens, Tirisfal Glades, Westfall
Mageroyal
Ashenvale, Darkshore, Durotar, Duskwood, Hillsbrad Foothills, Loch Modan, Redridge Mountains, Silverpine Forest, Stonetalon Mountains, Teldrassil, The Barrens, Westfall, Wetlands
Briarthorn
Ashenvale, Darkshore, Duskwood, Hillsbrad Foothills, Loch Modan, Redridge Mountains, Silverpine Forest, The Barrens, Westfall, Wetlands
Swifthistle*
Stranglekelp
Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Azshara, Darkshore, Desolace, Dustwallow Marsh, Feralas, Hillsbrad Foothills, Silverpine Forest, Stranglethorn Vale, Swamp of Sorrows, Tanaris, The Barrens, The Hinterlands, Westfall, Wetlands
Bruiseweed
Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Darkshore, Desolace, Hillsbrad Foothills, Loch Modan, Redridge Mountains, Silverpine Forest, Stonetalon Mountains, The Barrens, Thousand Needles, Westfall, Wetlands
Wild Steelbloom
Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Badlands, Desolace, Duskwood, Hillsbrad Foothills, Stonetalon Mountains, Stranglethorn Vale, The Barrens, Thousand Needles, Wetlands
Grave Moss
Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Desolace, Duskwood, The Barrens, Wetlands
Kingsblood
Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Badlands, Desolace, Duskwood, Dustwallow Marsh, Hillsbrad Foothills, Stonetalon Mountains, Stranglethorn Vale, Swamp of Sorrows, The Barrens, Thousand Needles, Wetlands
Liferoot
Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Ashenvale, Desolace, Dustwallow Marsh, Feralas, Hillsbrad Foothills, Silverpine Forest, Stranglethorn Vale, The Hinterlands, Wetlands
Fadeleaf
Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Badlands, Dustwallow Marsh, Stranglethorn Vale, Swamp of Sorrows, The Hinterlands
Goldthorn
Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Azshara, Badlands, Blasted Lands, Dustwallow Marsh, Feralas, Stranglethorn Vale, Swamp of Sorrows, The Hinterlands
Khadgar's Whisker
Alterac Mountains, Arathi Highlands, Azshara, Badlands, Dustwallow Marsh, Feralas, Hillsbrad Foothills, Stranglethorn Vale, Swamp of Sorrows, The Hinterlands
Wintersbite
Alterac Mountains
Firebloom
Badlands, Blasted Lands, Searing Gorge, Tanaris
Purple Lotus
Ashenvale, Azshara, Badlands, Feralas, Stranglethorn Vale, Tanaris, The Hinterlands
Wildvine**
Arthas' Tears
Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Western Plaguelands
Sungrass
Azshara, Blasted Lands, Burning Steppes, Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Feralas, Silithus, The Hinterlands, Un'Goro Crater, Western Plaguelands
Blindweed
Swamp of Sorrows, Un'Goro Crater
Ghost Mushroom
The Hinterlands
Gromsblood
Ashenvale, Blasted Lands, Desolace, Felwood
Golden Sansam
Azshara, Burning Steppes, Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Feralas, Silithus, The Hinterlands, Un'Goro Crater
Dreamfoil
Azshara, Burning Steppes, Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Silithus, Un'Goro Crater, Western Plaguelands
Mountain Silversage
Azshara, Burning Steppes, Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Silithus, Un'Goro Crater, Western Plaguelands, Winterspring
Plaguebloom
Eastern Plaguelands, Felwood, Western Plaguelands
Icecap
Winterspring
Black Lotus
Burning Steppes, Eastern Plaguelands, Silithus, Winterspring
Felweed
Hellfire Peninsula, Zangarmarsh, Nagrand, Blade's Edge Mountains, Terokkar Forest, Shadowmoon Valley, Netherstorm
Dreaming Glory
Hellfire Peninsula, Zangarmarsh, Nagrand, Blade's Edge Mountains, Terokkar Forest, Shadowmoon Valley, Netherstorm
Terocone
Terokkar Forest, Shadowmoon Valley
Ragveil
Zangarmarsh
Flame Cap
Zangarmarsh
Ancient Lichen
Dungeons Only
Netherbloom
Netherstorm
Nightmare Vine
Shadowmoon Valley
Mana Thistle
Nagrand, Blade's Edge Mountains, Terokkar Forest, Shadowmoon Valley, Netherstorm

You can also find Herbs in instances, which are not listed. Herbs can also be found in treasure chests or when killing certain monsters.

* Some high level herbs are also found in The Botanica, The Slave Pens, The Steamvault, The Underbog.
* Some Herbs in Outland cause various effects when the Herb is picked. An example is Mana Thistle which restores some mana to you. Picking a Nightmare Vine places a negative debuff on you.
* If you're in a party with more than one herbalist, share the plants you find with them.
* Multiple people can gain skill off the same plant if the first person avoids picking the herbs off the plant. After the plant's contents box appears, simply press "Escape" to stand up, and the second person can then gather and have a chance to raise his or her skill.
* Don't pick plants while fighting. Wait until the party is safe before moving over to the plant.
* If you're a Warlock or Hunter you can send your pet in to attack a monster standing on a herb, loot the herb, then run!
* Don't run off to a plant by yourself without letting the other party members know. If there are monsters in the way, ask the party to clear them for you. Basically, don't do anything to jeopardize the safety of the party while you collect plants.
* There is an enchant that can increase your Herbalism skill allowing you to pick higher level Herbs
* Herbalism is a great way to make money. Sell Herbs to other players in the Auction House.
* Some vendors sell herbs, rarely. You can also find Herbs in some chests. Some monsters commonly drop herbs.
* Sometimes Bloodvine drops from enemies or can be harvested from Zul'Gurub herbs if the player has a Blood Scythe.
* Tailors can create special herb carrying bags that have extra slots to carry Herbs.

1. Some of the best drops for herbs (of random types) are found on fungoid elementals, such as the ones near the tar pits of Un'Goro Crater or near the oasis in Tanaris.

2. On Outland, high-level herbalists can "skin" certain creatures such as the Bog Lords and Giants of Zangarmarsh, for bonus herb drops from their corpses.

3. Another great way to add herbs to your stash is by doing the repeatable Morrowgrain quests in Darnassus and at Feathermoon Stronghold. The magical pouch you are given can be repeatedly used to grow herbs from a random list. The only thing you need to keep this process going is fresh soil from Un'Goro Crater and more Tharlendris seeds, which are purchased from the Morrowgrain questgivers.