(Hyssopus officinalis ‘Hyssop')

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Hyssop is a shrubby perennial herb that is native to Asia and the Mediterranean but can be commonly found growing in gardens and along road sides throughout the United States. At maturity, this plant reaches the height of 18-24” and features woody stems, fragrant 1” dark green narrow toothed leaves, and aromatic, tubular, two-lipped flowers that varying in colors of bright blue, pink, or white. This plant grows in a container, attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, repels cabbage butterfly, tolerates drought, is used to flavors perfume, is used to make essential oils and potpourri, self sows, and is both edible and medicinal! 

  • General Information
  • Germination
  • Seedlings
  • Harvesting
  • Seed Saving
  • Culinary
  • Medicinal
  • Other Uses
  • Companion Planting
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​Family: Lamiaceae

Genus: Hyssopus 

Species: officinalis

Variety: Hyssop

Native to: Albania, Algeria, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Central European Rus, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Krym, Morocco, North Caucasus, South European Russi, Spain, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Ukraine, Yugoslavia.

Introduced into: Baltic States, Belgium, Buryatiya, Great Britain, New York, Vermont.

Grown as: Perennial
 
Maturity (Blooms): June to September

Hardiness: Hardy. Hyssop is very hardy and can withstand hard frost.

Crops: Spring Transplant

Growing Season: Short, Long

Growing Conditions: Cold, Cool, Warm. Hyssop prefers moderate water, but is drought tolerant once established.

Outdoor Growing Temp: 55°F - 85°F.

Min Outdoor Soil Temp: 60°F. There's no advantage to starting your seeds in cold soil, so wait until it's warmed up a little, to at least 60˚ F.

Start Indoors?: Yes.

Start Outdoors: No.

Light: Full Sun to Part Shade. Min. 6 hours daily (Cold, Cool, Warm). Hyssop prefers full sun, but can tolerate partial shade, as well.

Water: Dry to medium. Hyssop prefers moderate water, but is drought tolerant once established.

Feeder: Light. These plants grow best in rich soil, but almost any soil will do.

Suitability: Drought tolerant, Tolerates light frost, Tolerates hard frost.

Small Gardens?: Yes.

Attracts Beneficial Insects: Yes. Attracts many bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies

Containers?: Yes. Often grown in containers, massed in perennial borders, or trimmed to form a low hedge in sunny formal gardens, knot gardens or along walkways.
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Maintenance: Low

Height: 18-24”
 
Spacing: 12”
 
Sow Depth: On Soil Surface.
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USDA Zone: 3-10

Produces: woody stems, fragrant 1” dark green narrow toothed leaves, and aromatic, tubular, two-lipped flowers that varying in colors of bright blue, pink, or white. 
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Garden Uses: Herb garden, rock garden or border. Specimen or group. Clip for low hedge or edger. Containers. Leaves and flowers may be harvested for use in cooking or dried for use in potpourris.
Direct sow in the fall, pressing the seed into the surface of the soil. For spring planting, mix the seed with moist sand and store it in the refrigerator for 60 days before planting on the surface of the soil. To start indoors, plant on the surface of a flat with bottom heat of 70 degrees F and consistent moisture. Germination should take place within 6-10 days. As soon as the seedlings are big enough to handle and there is no chance of frost, they can be transplanted.
Keep young seedlings watered. Medium to moist soil is best for this plant, but the plant is somewhat drought tolerant once it reaches maturity and adapts to many types of soil. Plants will bloom the second year from seed. It reseeds itself readily, so if volunteer plants are not wanted deadhead the faded flower spikes. This plant attracts bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
Harvest leaves for fresh use as soon as they reach a desirable size. The best time for harvesting is the morning after the dew has dried. Though both the leaves and flowers can be used as an herb or a flavoring, the flavor of the leaves is stronger than that of the flowers. Entire stalks can be harvested as soon as the flowers begin to open, and hung upside down to dry; they should be dried quickly and away from direct sunlight. Once dried, remove the leaves and flowers from the stem and store in an airtight container.
In the late summer, the flowers will fade and the seeds begin to develop. Remove the stalks individually as they ripen, and spread them out to dry away from direct sunlight. Shake them to remove the seed. Store the seed in a cool, dry place.

Seed Viability in Years: 2-4 years
Germination Percentage: 40%
Hyssop has a slightly bitter minty flavor. The leaves can be sprinkled sparingly over salads or added to apple stews, pies or flans. A few leaves can be used in savory dishes such as rich stews and in marinades. The flowers can be used as an attractive garnish and in salads.

Do not use both the leaves and flowers to flavor the same dish as the stronger flavor of the leaves dominates that of the delicate flowers, which can be added just as decoration.

Leaves and young shoot tips: Raw or used as a flavoring in soups, salads etc. A strongly aromatic flavor, somewhat like a cross between sage and mint, it has fallen out of favor 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 flavoring.
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.
Project Purity Seeds can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Hyssop can be grown as a dwarf hedge, it responds well to trimming in the spring. An essential oil from the leaves is antiseptic and also used in perfumery and as a food flavoring. It has a particularly fine odor 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 potpourri. 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.
Allies: Long standing tradition holds that a nearby planting of hyssop increases the yield of grapevines. It is also recommended for orchards because its flowers are a magnet for honeybees.

Companions: Plant hyssop around the feet of grapevines and between cabbages and its relatives (like broccoli and cauliflower). If you keep bees, plant hyssop near hive’ the collected nectar will flavor the honey. This perennial herb makes an attractive short evergreen hedge and is also a good in ornamental beds.

Enemies: According to folklore, radishes planted near hyssop will not thrive.

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