Hyssop Harvest

A How To Harvest Hyssop Tutorial, Hyssop FAQ, and Hyssop Iced Tea Recipe

There is a lot of hyssop growing around the farm. In fact, I could have named the place Hyssop Hideaway or some other cutesy name with hyssop in the title because I have the herb coming out of my ears. Actually, I quite literally do, for some reason I have a bunch of it stuck behind my right ear lobe. Sometimes these things just happen...

There, now my neighbors aren't the only people that think I am nuttier than Auntie Kaho's kukui nut butter.

Hyssop is a hardy herb of Mediterranean origin. It grows to about 12-24 inches tall and has a spread of about two feet in diameter. The plant belongs to the mint family, and looks a lot like lavender or salvia in appearance, as the entire shrub bush is covered with green spikes topped with purple blue flowers that bees love. Seriously people, if you like pollinators, plant some hyssop. The busy little pollinating insects of this planet love the herb. Even if hyssop didn't have useful medicinal properties, I would still grow it for ornamental horticultural purposes.

Reasons:

It doesn't have a persnickety twig in its shrubbery. Drought? No problem. Deer infestation? Hyssop laughs in the face of nibbly mammals. Soil of such a poor quality that your county extension agent would either laugh or cry hysterically upon assessing a sample? NO PROBLEM. Hyssop will thrive in that soil and look pretty while doing so. It also makes tons and tons of hyssop babies every year that I just plant in hedgerows around the farm for some worry free, holistic well-being giving and visual enjoyment providing landscaping.

Here's a shocking fact! I don't believe everything that I read on the Internet. I know, I know, there must be something defective in my brain band. That said, I found some claims about hyssop, and I thought it would be fun to share some of the claims that I can verify to be true through my own experience. As I am posting this information on the internet too, I don't expect you to believe it at all, but I hope that it makes you curious enough about the awesome herb to experience it for yourself!

Hyssop Claim: The herb is an Antispasmodic and Expectorant.

Lots of websites have articles claiming that hyssop can sooth and heal respiratory conditions and bust up phlegm. I'm betting that anyone who's had a chest cold, allergies, or bronchitis would definitely be interested in getting on that train.

GK's experience: Anytime I feel a cold coming on I tend to make a hyssop infusion and sip it, and I can confirm that the tea helps sooth a sore throat. I kind of think that hyssop smells like a mint field after a fragrant skunk strolled through it. Pepe Le Mmmmm. Not that I think skunks smell good, or that I think that hyssop smells bad, it's probably just my weird nose. It's a good, somewhat minty, mediciney scent. In fact, my experience with just hyssop infusion during a respiratory distress time has inspired me to make some hyssop EO and hydrosol to create a hyssop salve for chest cold time.

Hyssop Claim: Increases circulation

Apparently hyssop can increase your blood flow, which in turn helps lower your heart rate and blood pressure. That's a big ol claim if I have ever heard one!

GK's experience: Although I am tempted to now sip a hyssop infusion and take my blood pressure, I will just stick with what I have observed. I am always cold. My finger tips could be used as consciousness revival agents. Seriously people, I am a human popsicle. My feet applied properly to one's back can be used as human get out of bed ejection devices. One cup of hyssop tea makes me feel like a properly warm human. Hmmm. Perhaps it would work against vampires too?

Hyssop Claim: Astringent that fights infection and heals the skin

One of the herb's claims to fame, and one of the most common facts about hyssop spouted on the Web is its antibacterial properties. Applying hyssop in the form of an ointment or salve to wounds is supposed to keep infection at bay and speed healing. In fact, it is supposed to be an overall good thing to put on your skin period. Acne and wrinkle treatment time!

GK's experience: Last fall I taught an infused oil class and one of the herbal oils that we made was hyssop infused oil. We then made salves out of the oil, and one of my class attendees contacted me the other day and raved about how the hyssop oil helped her skin, especially in the fine line and wrinkle department. My hands tend to dry out pretty bad in the winter time and I used the same hyssop infused oil salve all winter with great results. Also, ever since I was born into this world I seem to have a propensity for acquiring an above normal amount of cuts and bruises on my person. Seriously, I am a walking bruise and cut human meat puppet. This gets me mocked a lot by those close to moi. My hyssop infused oil salve has been a nice weapon in the "make the GK not look like beat up mess" arsenal.

Harvesting hyssop is a pretty straightforward process. When the plant's flowers are just starting to bloom, cut, bundle, and hang them in a well ventilated area that is out of direct sunlight to dry. I usually forget that I have stuff drying somewhere, so it's good and dry by the time I remember or observe it hanging. Probably a couple of weeks dry time would be the minimum, you don't want any moisture left in your herbs or you will be getting a visit from Mr. Mold. When it achieves dryness, I either leave it hanging in bundles throughout my house, or I strip the herb from it's stems and store it in glass mason jars or paper bags. Easy Peasy!!

There you have it! That is just a few of my positive experiences and observations I have had and gleaned during my time with hyssop. We're pretty old pals now, but I am constantly discovering new and interesting uses for the plant. I totally recommend giving it a grow!

Hyssop Iced Tea (Or hot tea if you are cold)

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1. Place around two cups of water in a stock pot and bring to a boil

2. Remove water from heat and place 2 Tablespoons fresh hyssop leaves and/or flowers into the pot

3. Cover and let steep for 30 minutes.

4. At this point you could sip it hot if you wish, or:

5. Let cool to room temperature

6. Place some ice in a glass, pour your tea in, sweeten with whatever sweetener that you desire (I like it aux naturale)

7. Enjoy!!!

There was some tantalizing-looking mint by the back door, so it had to jump into my iced tea pool. Members of the mint family be chillin!

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And as always, all of the images in this post were taken on the author's hyssop and lavender scented iPhone.

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