Hyssop Seed Pack
Hyssopus officinalis.
Hyssop is easy to grow and effective to use. It produces a flush of tiny blue flowers in the summer, producing an aromatic oil helpful for winter coughs.
The name hyssop is said to have come from the greek word hyssopus and the hebrew word azob, both of which refer to a ‘holy herb’ traditionally used for purifying sacred spaces. Much has been written about the biblical references to a soul-cleansing ‘hyssop’, but nobody really knows whether this is the same species we know of as hyssop today.
A member of the mint family, hyssop is a small perennial that grows to around 50cm tall. Sown from seed it flowers in its first year of growth. The stems start to become quite woody within a few years, so although it is a perennial and will live on, it is good to replace with fresh plants once it looks a bit straggly. It is a mediterranean species so prefers full sunshine and well-drained soils, but it is a hardy herb that can cope very well with UK winters.
Sowing and Growing
Sow indoors in the spring, or outdoors once the soil has warmed up in early summer. The seed should germinate within a couple of weeks. Sow with some restraint as hyssop is normally a prolific germinator.
Uses and Benefits
Hyssop has camphorous and pine-like essential oils that do what volatile oils do best; they open and relax the digestive and respiratory systems. Hyssop is used to brighten breathing and is used for coughs and clearing catarrh. It also has diterpenes including the eponymous marrubin that add to the aromatic, warming and stimulating properties that make hyssop so effective as a gargle for a sore throat or to bring on a sweat if you have a cold.
Harvesting and Preparation
Harvest the aerial parts when its just in flower and dry in bunches or cut into 1 inch pieces with some scissors and laid out evely on a drying rack.
Best taken as a hot tea, add 1-2 teaspoons of the dried herb to a cup of freshly boiled water, covered and left to infuse for 15 minutes.
Also useful when made into a syrup with herbs such as thyme and elderberries.
And you can use hyssop to make herbal honey.
Minimum 100 seeds per pack.
