Hyssop

Short description of the species

Botanical name

Hyssop

Latin name

Hyssopus officinalis

Family

Lamiaceae

Origin

From the Mediterranean and Caspian Sea regions

Crop classification

Spicy and aromatic plants

Exposure

Light-loving

Frost resistance

Frost-resistant, perrenial

Optimal growth temperature

20 – 25°C

Water requirements

Low water requirements – tolerates drought well

Soil requirements

Light, well-drained soils

Soil pH

6,5 – 8,0

Edible part

Hyssopi herba (hyssop herb), Hyssopi oleum (hyssop essential oil)

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Interesting

The name hyssop comes from the Greek word "hyssopos," which originates from the Hebrew "ezob" meaning "holy herb" or "herb for purification."

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Usage

It is used mainly in Mediterranean cuisine as a spice for meat dishes, sauces, soups, salads and for pickling vegetables and meat. Due to its bitter, spicy taste, it is also used in liqueurs (e.g. absinthe).

Inclusion in the crop rotation and fertilization requirements

It is a perennial, it overwinters in such a way that its above-ground part dies, while the underground part (roots) survives the winter. In the spring, new shoots will grow from the root system. 

Track: I. 

Suitable previous crops: cereals, legumes, root crops 

Fertilization: It responds well to fertilization with manure. 

Varieties: Varieties with a high content of essential oils and good fertility of above-ground biomass are sought after. They also differ, for example, in the color of the flower - blue, pink or white. 

Agrotechnical cultivation 

Propagation: Hyssop can be propagated generatively (by seeds) or vegetatively (by cuttings or dividing the clumps). 

Agrotechnical cultivation - from seedlings

Harvesting - the flowering herb is harvested, or the non-lignified leafy stems. When harvesting, the upper parts of the plant are cut off (about 10-15 cm above the ground)

Use: it is used mainly in Mediterranean cuisine as a spice for meat dishes, sauces, soups, salads and for pickling vegetables or meat. Due to its bitter, spicy taste, it is also used in liqueurs (e.g.
absinthe).

Impact on human health

Constituents: flavonoids, essential oils, phenolic compounds, tannins

Phytotherapeutic groups: antihydrotic, expectorant, stomachic, antiseptic

Diseases and pests

Hyssopus officinalis can be attacked by diseases such as powdery mildew, root rot and septoria, and pests such as aphids, whiteflies and mites.