Hyssop Officinalis – 10 Seeds

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is an evergreen garden herb of the mint family (Lamiaceae), grown for its aromatic leaves and flowers. The plant has a sweet scent and a warm bitter taste. It has long been used as a flavoring for foods and beverages and as a folk medicine.

It is a small perennial plant about 0.5m high. The narrow elliptical leaves are about 2 to 3 cm  long and grow in pairs on the stem.

 Medicinal Benefits

• A strong tea made of the leaves and sweetened with honey is a traditional remedy for nose, throat, and lung afflictions and is sometimes applied externally to bruises.

Culinary Uses & Other Uses

• In the Middle Ages, hyssop was a stewing herb. Its modern uses are for flavoring meats, fish, vegetables, salads, sweets, and such liqueurs as absinthe.
• The flowers attract bees and the honey made from hyssop pollen is considered especially fine.
• The leaves contain oil of hyssop, a volatile oil used by perfumers.

Growing Hyssop Officinalis

Indoor Sowing: Late Winter and Early Spring.

Direct Sowing: Spring.

• Sow seeds indoors just beneath the surface of the soil 8-10 weeks before the last frost.
• Seeds will germinate in 14-21 days.
• Transplant out in the spring after the last frost.
• Set plants 12-24 inches apart.