Hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis
Family: Lamiaceae or Labiatae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Blue, Pink, Purple, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early fall, Late summer, Mid summer, Mid fall. Form: Upright or erect
Hyssopus officinalis is an evergreen Shrub growing to 0.6 m (2ft) by 0.6 m (2ft in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to September, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 0.6
Where it is found
Old walls and buildings, stony places. Dry hills and rock ledges to 2200 metres in Turkey.
Europe - Mediterranean. Naturalized in Britain.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Leaves and young shoot tips - raw or used as a flavouring in soups, salads etc. A strongly aromatic flavour, somewhat like a cross between sage and mint, it has fallen out of favour in recent years. It can be used fresh or dried. Flowers - raw. Added to salads. An essential oil from the plant is used as a food flavouring.
Oil: Oil
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Medicine
Rating: 3
Hyssop has a long history of medicinal use and was so highly esteemed in the past that it was considered to be a virtual cure-all. Currently an undervalued herb, it is often used as a household remedy, particularly as an expectorant and stomach tonic. It has a positive effect when used to treat bronchitis and respiratory infections, especially where there is excessive mucous production. Hyssop can irritate the mucous membranes, so it is best given after an infection has peaked, when the herb's tonic action encourages a general recovery. The plant should not be used by pregnant women, however, since in large quantities it can induce a miscarriage. The leaves and flowering tops are antiseptic, antitussive, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, pectoral, sedative, stimulant, stomachic, tonic and vasodilator. The plant can be harvested when in full flower and dried for later use. A tea made from the leaves is used in the treatment of flatulence, stomach-aches, upper respiratory tract infections, coughs in children etc. A poultice made from the fresh herb is used to heal wounds. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is 'Stability'. This oil should not be used on people who are highly strung as it can cause epileptic symptoms. The essential oil should not be used internally except under professional supervision.
Antiseptic: Preventing sepsis, decay or putrefaction, it destroys or arrests the growth of micro-organisms.
Aromatherapy: Plants whose essential oils are used in Aromatherapy.
Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
Carminative: Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Emmenagogue: Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
Expectorant: Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
Pectoral: Relieves respiratory diseases, a remedy for chest diseases.
Stimulant: Excites or quickens activity of the physiological processes. Faster acting than a tonic but differing from a narcotic in that it does not give a false sense of well-being.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Tonic: Improves general health. Slower acting than a stimulant, it brings steady improvement.
Vasodilator: Widens the blood vessels, thereby reducing blood pressure.
Other
Rating: 5
Hyssop can be grown as a dwarf hedge, it responds well to trimming in the spring. The growing plant attracts cabbage white butterflies away from brassicas. Another report says that hyssop attracts cabbage white butterflies and should not be grown near cabbages. An essential oil from the leaves is antiseptic and also used in perfumery and as a food flavouring. It has a particularly fine odour and is much valued by perfumers. Average yields of the oil are about 0.6%. Yields from the blue-flowered variety are 1 - 1.5% essential oil, the red-flowered variety yields about 0.8%, whilst the white-flowered form yields 0.5% essential oil. The plant was formerly used as a strewing herb and is also used in pot-pourri. A tea made from the leaves is useful for controlling bacterial plant diseases. Plants can be grown for ground cover when spaced about 45cm apart each way.
Essential: Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents etc.
Fungicide: Arrests the growth of, or kills, fungi.
Hedge: Plants that can be grown as hedges.
Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.
Pot-pourri: Aromatic plants used to impart a pleasant smell to an area. Can this be grouped with incense or essential oil?
Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.
Strewing: Plants, usually aromatic, that are strewn on the floor to give a nice smell, repel insects etc.
Attracts Wildlife: Plants noted for attracting wildlife
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Ground cover: Ground Cover
Hedge: Hedge
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Specimen. Prefers a light, dry calcareous soil and a sunny position. A very cold-hardy plant, when dormant it can tolerate temperatures down to about -25°c. Hyssop has very aromatic leaves and is commonly grown in the herb garden where it makes a good edging plant to a border. There are some named varieties. The plant needs to be trimmed regularly to keep it in shape, untrimmed plants will soon degenerate. Spring is the best time to trim the plants. It is probably best to replace the plants every few years. The flowers have a rich aromatic fragrance. Hyssop is a very good plant for attracting bees and butterflies to the garden. It is a good companion plant to grow with grapes, but it grows badly with radishes. Special Features:Edible, Fragrant foliage, Not North American native, Naturalizing, Attracts butterflies, Suitable for cut flowers, Suitable for dried flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. The root pattern is fibrous dividing into a large number of fine roots .
Propagating it: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed. Very easy, the seed germinates quickly. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 7 cm with a heel, June/July in a frame. Fairly easy, the cuttings root quite quickly. Grow on the plants in the greenhouse for their first winter and plant out in late spring. Cuttings of greenwood, 5 - 7 cm with a heel, April/May in a frame. Plant out in the summer. Division in spring or autumn.
Best place to grow: Ground Cover; Hedge; Cultivated Beds; East Wall. In. South Wall. In. West Wall. In.
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 5-10
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Volatile oil can cause convulsions. Avoid with epilepsy of fits. Diarrhoea and indigestion rare .
Its other names
Local names
Synonyms
Thymus hyssopus