Growing Hyssop

Growing hyssop is a good idea if you are looking for a natural way to increase energy and rid your body of toxins. The herb Hyssop is a valuable plant, but don't expect it to be the same as the herb found in the bible.

Growing Hyssop for Salad and Joyful Wellness.

According to most biblical scholars, the hyssop of the Bible is probably not the same plant that we know of as hyssop today.

Happily, the modern version of hyssop is still an important addition to any medicinal herb garden. Both the fresh green tops and the flowers are edible and used for medicinal purposes.

Growing hyssop is a valuable addition to your medicinal garden.

Photo by Hans at Pixabay.com

Plus, the flowers of Hyssop have a fabulous aroma that will attract both bees and butterflies to your garden.  It's a beautiful addition to your homestead.

Growing Hyssop
For the Medicine Cabinet

The herb Hyssop works as an expectorant to help make a dry cough productive. It will make you sweat more, helping your body to dispel toxins. Also, it makes you more alert and gives you energy.

The herb Hyssop both prevents and eases flatulence.

Make an infusion of Hyssop, allow it to cool, and apply it externally to painful joints to relieve rheumatism. You can also make a tea from the fresh green tops and drink it several times daily to ease rheumatic pains.

Also apply the cooled infusion to a black eye to ease the swelling. Make a poultice of the chopped, fresh leaves of the herb Hyssop to apply to cuts for rapid healing.

For the Kitchen

The fresh leaves add a slight mint flavoring to salads. Boil hyssop tops in soup to help ease the symptoms of asthma.

Both the flowers and leaves produce a perfumed oil that is highly valuable. The herb Hyssop is also used to make Chartreuse.

Growing Tips

Choose a sunny location to grow your hyssop. The plant will grow in partial shade but does much better with lots of exposure to the sun and frequent watering. Plant your hyssop seeds a quarter of an inch deep. The plants should be about a foot apart.

Hyssop likes either neutral or alkaline soils that drain well. When full-grown, the hyssop shrub is about two feet tall and two feet wide. It’s an aromatic plant with flowers that come in the colors of pink, purple, or occasionally white. The flowers bloom in the late summer, typically during the months of July through September.

The herb Hyssop is a perennial in USDA zones four and above. It is annual in zones one through three. To keep the plants from becoming tall and spindly, cut the foliage back to help your Hyssop become bushier. Also, cut off old flower stalks.

Beneficial Insects Love Hyssop

Hyssop attracts a ton of beneficial insects, including bees. If you want a delicious and aromatic honey, keep a large bed of hyssop near your beehives.

And while it attracts beneficial insects, it can also repel the pests that can wreak havoc with your garden. Grow hyssop, and cabbage butterflies will lay their eggs on the hyssop rather than your brassicas, saving them from being devoured by worms. It means that Hyssop is a great addition to your vegetable garden.

Or Grow Hyssop in Pots

Hyssop has a flavor between mint and sage. The taste is strong, but you can use a small amount to flavor your soups and salads. Pinch off the tips and young leaves of the plant to flavor olive oil, or add the leaves to fish or meat dishes.

Other Great Uses for Hyssop

Because hyssop is such an aromatic plant, you can use it to make perfumed oil. Add a few drops of it to your diffuser. Or dry the hyssop and use it to make potpourri.

Hyssop was traditionally used as an antiseptic, and it’s still useful as one today. Use hyssop oil to prevent infections.

You can also brew hyssop in hot water and then allow it to cool. Then spray the hyssop tea on your plants to control bacterial diseases.

Learn More About Healing Herbs

More Tips on Natural Remedies

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Learn About Growing Other Herbs

Joyful wellness includes growing herbs that draw in healthy and beneficial insects, add beauty to your home, and improve your health. Learn about other beneficial herbs you can have in your garden:

About the Author

My name is Sue Merriam, and I began the journey of self-reliant living more than three decades ago, which enabled me to stay home with my children. Fifteen years ago, I founded Joyful Homesteading to help others save money and face the future without fear. My goal is to give you practical, honest advice so you can save money and experience the joy of simple living. I hope you join me.

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