herb profile/Hyssop/Hyssopus officinalis

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Hyssop An ancient medicinal herb compiled by Bouquet Garni Herbs Mentioned in the bible, Hyssop is a respected medicinal herb and has culinary virtues as well. Names and Family Botanical Name: Hyssopus officinalis Family: LabiataeCommon Names: English - Hyssop Afrikaans - Hisop Parts Used, Harvesting and Preserving Culinary: Leaves. Preferably used fresh as dried material may be to pungent.Medicinal: Flowering tops. Collect in late summer. Dry or prepare a tincture. Cultivation Hyssop is a bushy evergreen shrub growing 60-90cm high. It prefers light, well-drained soil and a sunny position. Space plants 60cm apart. Prune regularly to avoid scraggly growth. It is a useful container plant. Propagate from cuttings. Legend and Lore The name hyssopus may derive from the Hebrew ezob which means holy herb. Hyssop was used for purifying temples and for the ritual cleansing of lepers. Recent research have indicated that the mould that produces penicillin grows on hyssop leaves. Thus it could have acted as antibiotic protection when lepers were bathed in hyssop. In the Kitchen Flavour: Bitter, slightly minty.Uses: Hyssop counteracts fatty, oily meat. Add chopped leaves to stuffing's, sausages, salads, stewed fruit and fruit pies. Medicinal - Herbage Materia Medica Properties: Anti-catarrhal, anti-spasmodic, aromatic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, febrifuge, hepatic, pectoral, sedative, stomachic, tonic, vulnerary.Applications: Anxiety, asthma, bronchitis, bruises, burns, catarrh, colds, cough, diarrhea, gout, indigestion, skin irritations, sore throats, wounds.Contra-Indications: Avoid during pregnancy in therapeutic doses. Medicinal - Aromatherapy Essence obtained from: Leaves and flowers.Volatility: Middle noteKey Uses: Asthma, bruises, coughs, colds, flu, sore throats.Contraindications: Avoid during pregnancy. Use only under professional guidance. Household and Decorative Applications Hyssop is an useful companion plant. It can be planted near vines to increase their yield and is often grown near cabbages to lure away cabbage-white-butterfliesGet your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com