We’re accustomed to getting out spices from the grocery store after they’ve already been broken down into powdery substances. Have you ever wondered what they looked like before they were pulverized into dust? We do, so here are 12 spices before they’re ground up and bottled into containers.

This will change the way you think about spices!

These are what 12 of your favorite spices look like before they hit the stores

I had no idea what some of these actually looked like.

1. Nutmeg

Nutmeg is a spice in countless recipes, it grows on trees and when cracked open has a unique looking seed with a bright red layer on top of the black seed inside. What a cool looking spice, I had no idea that’s what it looked like!

2. Saffron

Saffron is the most expensive spice by weight, it’s derived from a flower of Crocus Sativus that is a beautiful purple color. The flowers are collected and dried, before being used as seasoning or coloring for many dishes.

3. Black Pepper

We’ve all scene and used black pepper, a lot of us on a daily basis. Who knew it was so beautiful before it was ground down into the most commonly used spice of all.

4. Wasabi

Real wasabi comes from a plant of the brassicaceae family and is extremely expensive. That green stuff they serve on the side with your sushi, is probably not real wasabi unless you’re at an very high end Japanese restaurant.

5. Borage

Borage is a spice that is mostly used in salads and as a garnish. It’s a plant also known as starflower, with many medicinal qualities and edible leaves and flowers. It’s absolutely beautiful to look at, but I wouldn’t dare touch it with all that needle-like outer layer.

6. Chives

Chives are from a perennial plant, relatives of onions and garlic they are commonly used as a garnish on many popular dishes. You’d never think the plants chives grow on would have such vibrant purple flowers on them.

7. Mustard

Mustard is one a lot of use frequently. Made from the seeds of the mustard plant, it can be spicy or sweet depending on how you make it. The mustard plant grows gorgeous yellow flowers that look just like the yellow mustard we eat!

8. Garlic

Garlic is a species of the onion genus, it grows in the ground and dates back thousands of years. Native to central Asia and northeastern Iran, it’s used worldwide for food flavoring and holds many medicinal qualities.

9. Paprika

Paprika comes from mild peppers after they’re dried and ground. It’s more sweet than spicy and can be made with red bell peppers.

10. Rosemary

Native to the Mediterranean, Rosemary is used for cooking fragrances and even for some medicinal purposes. It has needle like leaves with white, purple, pink or blue flowers.

11. Thyme

Thyme is an herb in the aromatic perennial evergreen lamiaceae mint family, it’s used for many different culinary, medicinal, and ornamental things.

12. Ginger

Ginger root is a commonly used spice, which is also known as a folk medicine and used medicinally all around the world. An herbaceous perennial, it’s known to grow about a meter high with leaf blades sprouting off of it. Ginger is one of the oddest looking spices and has a very pungent taste.

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Source: Sweet and Savory, Gardeners Path