Question: Are single dried herbs assumed to be kosher without a hechsher?

Quoted from the ou website regarding checking for bugs: <https://oukosher.org/blog/consumer-kosher/summary-ou-insect-checking-policies/>  

"Fruits, vegetables, and berries that are thoroughly dried in a hot oven do not require checking and are permitted"

This does not list herbs explicitly. Can this rule also be applied to herbs? Why or why not?

Are there additional concerns regarding herbs not apparent to fruits, vegetables, and berries?

notes based on comments: 
-store bought
-question regarding general koshrus concern as well as specifically in regards to checking for bugs

Answer: 
From the [Star K](https://www.star-k.org/articles/kashrus-kurrents/kashurs-kurrents-2013/summer-kashrus-kurrents-2013/1145/the-kashrus-of-tea-with-no-strings-attached/) simple dry herbal teas do no need supervision. Presumably this does not only apply to tea.

> 
> Herbal and Medicinal Teas: Popular herbal teas include Chamomile and Mint Teas. Echinachia tea is a well known medicinal. Generally made from dried herbs, leaves, and roots, they are intrinsically kosher and do not need to be certified. Herbs are typically dried on dedicated equipment in dedicated processing facilities, by having warm air blown over them.
> 
> 
> The above is true for herbals and medicinals that are simply dried herbs. However, if additional ingredients such as flavors have been added, they would need to be reliably certified. One of the most popular brands of teas, “Celestial Seasonings,” has many herbals and regular teas that have been certified by the Star-K since the mid-1980s.
> 
> 
> 

And from [Scroll K](http://scrollk.org/guide-to-kashrus-does-it-need-a-hechsher/)

> 
> Herb blends – Require reliable certification.
> 
> 
> Herbs, dried – Leaves, seeds and spices, without added ingredients, does not require certification, unless it is produce of Israel, then it require reliable certification.
> 
> 
> Herbs, freeze dried – Require reliable kosher certification.
> 
> 
>
I think you have answered your question already by citing the OU article. See <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable>. To me, this seems to define herbs within the vegetable family.

Since the OU article you cited says that vegetables "do not require checking", this would apply to dried herbs as well.

This [OU page](https://oukosher.org/guide-to-blessings/#vegetables) (Hmm.. OU has a lot of good food pages!) seems to classify herbs and vegetables alike. You'll see several items which are commonly considered "herbs" to have the bracha *borei pri hadamah* just as any other vegetables. For example, dried and candied ginger (ginger is commonly considered an herb) gets the bracha *adamah*. As for something like chives being *shehakol*, that's probably because it falls under a different rule stating that when you eat a vegetable in its raw state when it is commonly cooked, you would say sehakol. See the same issue regarding raw garlic.

I'm uncertain what they mean by "spices" as to why this gets *Shehakol*. I'd have to contact the OU for clarification on this as "spices" is a vague term.