Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers countless methods of making money, from intense bossing sessions and flipping on the Grand Exchange to crafting and skilling. Yet, among all the skills available in the game, none strike the perfect balance of profitability and passivity quite like Farming. And at the heart of Farming's money-making potential lies one incredibly simple yet effective method: herb runs.

Herb runs are relaxed, low-effort activities that can easily become part of your daily RuneScape routine. They only take a few minutes per run, and when optimized properly, they can generate hundreds of thousands — or even millions — of OSRS gold daily. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about herb runs, from beginner basics to the Perfect Herb Run setup for advanced players.

If you already know the ins and outs of herb runs and want to get right to the optimized strategy, scroll down to the “The Perfect Herb Run” section.

What is a Herb Run?

A herb run is the act of planting, harvesting, and replanting herbs at designated herb patches across Gielinor. Players grow profitable herbs used in Herblore, one of the most vital skills in the game due to the demand for potions in both PvM and PvP.

Each herb seed has a required Farming level to plant. While Torstols have the highest level requirement (85 Farming), they are not always the most profitable herb due to fluctuating seed costs and herb prices.

Herbs take 80 minutes to grow, divided into four 20-minute growth cycles. During each cycle, there's a chance for the herb to become diseased. Fortunately, you can reduce or eliminate this risk through:

• Ultra compost (highest disease protection)

• High Farming level

• Disease-free patches (more on that below)

• Iasor seed effects (from Hespori)

Dead patches can be revived using the Resurrect Crops spell from the Arceuus spellbook, which has a 50–75% success rate depending on your Magic level (50% at level 78 Magic, 75% at 99).

All 10 Herb Patch Locations

There are 10 herb patches in OSRS. Some are unlocked early; others require quests or diaries. Here's the full list:

Location Requirements Best Teleports

Port Sarim None Explorer's Ring, Ring of the Elements (Air Altar), Spirit Tree, Glory (Draynor)

Catherby None Catherby/Camelot Teleport, Charter Ship

Ardougne None Ardougne Cloak, Skills Necklace (Fishing Guild), Fairy Ring (BLR)

Canifis Priest in Peril Ectophial, Fairy Ring (ALQ), Kharyrll Teleport

Hosidius None Xeric's Talisman, House Teleport (redirected), Kharedst's Memoirs

Farming Guild 65 Farming Farming Cape, Skills Necklace, Fairy Ring (CIR)

Troll Stronghold My Arm's Big Adventure Stony Basalt, Trollheim Teleport

Weiss Fire built at patch Icy Basalt, Fairy Ring (DKS) then Larry's boat

Harmony Island Morytania Elite Diary Harmony Island Teleport, Trouble Brewing Minigame

Varlamore Children of the Sun quest Quetzal Whistle, Civitas Teleport, Fairy Ring (AJP)

Most Profitable Herbs (2025)

Prices fluctuate, so always check the Grand Exchange or use a herb run calculator before planting. As of the latest update, these herbs are typically the most profitable:

1. Snapdragons – Used in Prayer potions, consistently in demand.

2. Huascas – A newer herb that sees high prices due to limited supply.

3. Ranarrs – Great profit and lower risk, excellent for mid-level players.

Tip: If you're low on Farming, stick to cheaper seeds until your yield rates improve with higher levels and upgrades.

Herb Harvesting Tip: Click Spam

To make your herb collection more efficient:

• Spam-click the herb patch as soon as you start harvesting.

• Stop once you have 2 herbs in your inventory.

• Your character will now pick 2 herbs per click instead of 1.

This significantly cuts down time spent on each patch and is crucial if you're doing 5–10 runs a day.

The Perfect Herb Run (Advanced Setup)

Once you've leveled up and unlocked key upgrades, you can perform what many call the Perfect Herb Run — a fully optimized, 10-patch rotation that maximizes both yield and profit.

Essential Requirements

To execute the best herb run possible, aim for:

• Magic Secateurs: Increases herb yield by 10% (Reward from Fairytale I).

• Quests:

  • My Arm's Big Adventure (unlocks disease-free Troll patch)

  • Secrets of the North (unlocks Weiss patch)

  • Children of the Sun (unlocks Varlamore patch)

• Diaries:

  • Kourend Hard Diary (Hosidius patch disease-free, +5% yield)

  • Kandarin Diary (Catherby yield: +5% for Hard, +10% for Elite)

  • Morytania Elite Diary (Harmony Island access)

• Tools & Items:

  • Bottomless bucket filled with ultra compost

  • 99 Farming cape (extra herbs per patch)

  • Attas & Iasor Anima seeds from Hespori

  • Quetzal Whistle for Varlamore access

Suggested Inventory

• Your chosen herb seeds

• Ardougne Cape 3/4

• Ectophial

• Stony and Icy Basalt

• Quetzal Whistle

• Harmony Island teleport

• Xeric's Talisman

• Rune Pouch with Law, Air, Fire, Mud runes (for flexible teleports)

Tool leprechauns at each patch will store your Magic Secateurs and Bottomless Bucket, so you don't need to carry them each run.

Equipment Setup

• Magic Secateurs

• Farming Cape

• Explorer's Ring 3/4

• Xeric's Talisman

• Weight-reducing gear (Graceful, etc.)

Optimized Herb Run Path

Let's dive into the step-by-step routing for your perfect herb run. If you haven't unlocked a patch yet, just skip it and revisit this guide later when your account is ready.

1. Port Sarim Farm

• Teleport: Explorer's Ring → Cabbage Patch

• Action: Withdraw tools from the Leprechaun → Harvest → Compost → Replant

2. Ardougne Farm

• Teleport: Ardougne Cape 3/4

• Action: Note herbs → Harvest → Compost → Replant

3. Canifis Farm

• Teleport: Ectophial

• Action: Run west → Harvest → Compost → Replant

4. Hosidius Farm

• Teleport: Xeric's Talisman → Xeric's Glade

• Action: Note herbs → Harvest → Compost → Replant

5. Varlamore Farm

• Teleport: Quetzal Whistle or Civitas Illa Fortis

• Action: Run north → Harvest → Compost → Replant

6. Catherby Farm

• Teleport: Catherby teleport or Camelot → run east

• Action: Note herbs → Harvest → Compost → Replant

7. Farming Guild

• Teleport: Skills Necklace or Farming Cape

• Action: Harvest → Compost → Replant

8. Troll Stronghold

• Teleport: Stony Basalt

• Action: Harvest → Compost → Replant

9. Weiss Patch

• Teleport: Icy Basalt

• Action: Run to patch → Harvest → Compost → Replant

10. Harmony Island

• Teleport: Harmony Island tablet

• Action: Harvest → Compost → Replant

Final Tips for Maximum Profit

• Always use ultra compost for the highest yield and lowest disease chance.

• Keep an eye on GE prices — profitability can shift daily.

• Set a timer or use a plugin to remind you to do a herb run every 80 minutes.

• Use Anima seeds like Attas and Iasor when available — they stack with other bonuses.

• Even if you're missing a few patches or upgrades, any herb run is better than none. Start small and scale up.

Profit Estimates

Assuming 10 full patches of Snapdragons, an average yield of 7–9 herbs per patch, and current prices of ~7,000 GP per Snapdragon:

• 10 patches × 8 herbs avg = 80 herbs

• 80 herbs × 7,000 GP = 560,000 GP per run

• Up to 10 runs a day = 5.6M GP daily

And remember: herb runs only take 5–8 minutes each. That's incredible passive income.

Start Farming Like a Pro

Herb runs are one of OSRS's greatest passive moneymakers — ideal for both new and veteran players. Whether you're bankrolling your next big gear upgrade, funding 99 Herblore, or just looking to make solid cash while playing casually, the perfect herb run is your answer.

RSorder Team