Hyssopus officinalus
Origin: Mediterranean
Improvement status: Cultivated wild material
Seeds per packet: ~50
Germination tested 10/2025: 91%
Life cycle: Perennial
While we have long offered the popular anise-hyssop, this species — which we've taken to calling "hyssop hyssop" — is the true hyssop. It's a relatively low-growing Mediterranean perennial herb with charming purple flowers that bloom for months. It has a long history of culinary use (including as a flavoring for various alcoholic drinks) and medicinal use, especially for respiratory issues as an expectorant and cough suppresant. The leaves have some antibacterial properties as well.
Our seed comes from Ann & Noel of Homestead Culture in southern Oregon. Ann says, "When I taste the fresh leaves I can only describe their flavor as a combination of sage, mint and oregano. The sage/mint notes are not overpoweringly strong, and the spiciness is not too sharp... We enjoy having dry hyssop on hand for tossing into soups and stews in the winter, as well as pastas, beans and more. The leaves and flowers also make a delicious tea that is quite medicinal, stimulating to the immune system and can help stave off colds... Like many mint family herbs, hyssop is carminative and aids in digestion. Hyssop has also been used as a daily tonic to help ease rheumatism."
GROWING TIPS: Start in spring and lightly tamp seed into the surface of the soil, or just barely cover the small seed with soil. Keep seeds moist until they germinate. When they are large enough to handle, divide the seedlings and grow them up in their own pots for their first season. Plant them into their final positions in the fall or following spring. Hyssop loves rich garden soil but can also thrive in dry or marginal soils. Hyssop is very easy to grow and requires little care, but regular pruning at least once or twice a season can extend it’s lifespan and retain the shape or size that you want. USDA Zones 5-10. Full sun to part shade.
