Yerba buena or hierba buena is a name of Spanish origin used for
a number of aromatic plants, most of which belong to the mint
family. The Spanish name yerba buena translates as "good herb".
The specific plant species regarded as yerba buena varies from
region to region, depending on what grows wild in the
surrounding landscape, or which species is customarily grown in
local gardens. Perhaps the most common variation of this plant
is spearmint (Mentha spicata). The term has been (and is
currently) used to cover a number of aromatic true mints and
mint relatives of the genera Satureja or Micromeria. All plants
so named have medicinal properties, and some have culinary value
as tisanes or seasonings as well. Local variants  In the western
United States, yerba buena most often refers to the species
Micromeria douglasii (which is sometimes classified as
Clinopodium douglasii or Satureja douglasii), but may also refer
to Eriodictyon californicum, which is not a member of the mint
family. In parts of Central Americ