Hyssop

(Hyssopus officinalis)

Hyssop's history can be traced to ancient times for everything from purifying temples to cleansing lepers. The Persians used distilled hyssop water as a body lotion to give a fine color to their skin. Hippocrates recommended hyssop for chest complaints. It has been cultivated in gardens for at least past 600 years, and brought to the New World by the colonists to use in tea, in herbal tobacco, and as an antiseptic.

Description

Hyssop's blue spires of bloom late in the summer are a great bee attractant. This herb is bitter very aromatic, almost spicy. Hyssop is a semi-evergreen perennial with a woody, bushy growth that grows to about 32 inches in height. It has either blue, white or pink blooms normally in July to September, and narrow lance-shaped leaves.

Cultivation

Hyssop likes full sunlight and a light, well-draining soil. Seed is sown and germinated easily in the greenhouse or garden in early spring. Thin seedlings to 2 inches apart, and when plants are six inches tall, thin again to two feet apart. Hyssop can grow to a height of 2 feet. The herb can also be grown in a container, as long as it is in good sunlight.

Hyssop can make an excellent landscape plant as long as stems are trimmed to maintain a bushy appearance, or clipped to form a low hedge. New plants can also be started from branch cuttings.

It is said that is should be planted near cabbage to lure away the whiteflies and cabbage moth. Also plant near grape vines to increase yield.

Harvesting

Hyssop is picked when it is at its best in the middle of summer. It can be used fresh, picking off leaves and flowers as needed, or dried for later use. To dry, hang plants upside down in a dark, dry area, and store in an airtight jars.

Pests

No serious pests known.

Uses

In the kitchen, hyssop is used in soups, stews, meats, stuffings fatty fish, and salads. If trying for the first time, it is recommended to use very small amounts because of its strong flavor. Young flower shoots and leaves are used both for cooking and medicinally.

Hyssop has properties of a cleanser, both in and out of the body. The leaves hold an antiseptic and antiviral oil, and its leaves possess the same kind of fungus that produces penicillin. It is known to help liquids to leave body tissues, and has been used to heal respiratory illnesses, ear infections, bronchitis, and stomach problems. The leaves can be used as compresses on wounds and bruises. It can be brewed as a tea and used for coughs and to help one relax. It was once used as a remedy for rheumatism.

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