Hyssop Blue

Description

Hyssopus officinalis – hyssop

Botanical name: Hyssopus officinalis
Common names: Hyssop, blue hyssop
Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Plant type: Semi-evergreen aromatic sub-shrub
Habit: Compact, bushy, upright
Pot size: 1 litre pot
Eventual size: Approx. 40–60cm tall × 45cm spread
Foliage: Narrow, aromatic dark green leaves; semi-evergreen
Flowers: Slim spikes of rich blue flowers over a long period in summer (June–September)
Scent: Aromatic foliage
Aspect / light: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained; poor to average; tolerates lime; dislikes wet; any pH
Hardiness: RHS H5 (hardy, to about −15°C); USDA zones 5–9
Exposure: Open, sunny; drought-tolerant
Native range: Native to southern Europe
Toxicity / pet & child safety: Generally considered non-toxic; grown as an aromatic and ornamental herb

Hyssopus officinalis, hyssop, is a compact aromatic sub-shrub with narrow dark green leaves and long-lasting spikes of rich blue flowers. Drought-tolerant and a magnet for bees, it is superb for sunny borders and edging.

GardenAdvice notes

A neat, aromatic Mediterranean sub-shrub, hyssop is grown for its long summer display of rich blue flower spikes over narrow, aromatic evergreen foliage. Compact, drought-tolerant and undemanding, it is one of the best herbs for pollinators, thriving in hot, dry, sunny positions and making a lovely low informal hedge or border edging.

Growing & planting

Plant in spring in well-drained soil in full sun — it thrives on poor, dry, even limy soils and dislikes rich, wet ground. Ideal for gravel, Mediterranean-style gardens, sunny borders and low edging or informal hedging. Space about 40cm apart.

Care & maintenance

Low-maintenance. Trim it over after flowering, or in spring, to keep it neat and bushy, but avoid cutting hard into old bare wood. Deadhead to prolong flowering. Water only while establishing; thereafter it is drought-tolerant. Keep it on the dry side over winter to avoid rot.

Propagation

• Cuttings: Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer.
• Seed: Sow seed in spring.

Pests & diseases

Generally trouble-free in a sunny, well-drained spot. Its main enemy is winter wet, which causes rot. Otherwise little troubled by pests or disease.

Uses in the garden

Superb for sunny borders, gravel and Mediterranean-style gardens, low informal hedging and edging, herb gardens and pollinator plantings, where its blue flowers and neat aromatic foliage earn their place.

Wildlife value

Hyssop is one of the finest herbs for wildlife: its long-flowering blue spikes are hugely attractive to bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects throughout summer.

Toxicity & safety

Hyssop is generally regarded as non-toxic and is grown as an aromatic and ornamental herb.

GardenAdvice tip

Hyssop is a lovely, under-used herb that hums with bees all summer and makes a neat little informal hedge along a sunny path. Treat it like lavender — full sun, poor, sharply drained soil, and a trim after flowering to keep it compact — and avoid cutting back into the bare old wood, which it won’t regrow from.

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