Anise Hyssop Seeds - (Agastache foeniculum)

Anise Hyssop - An Herb of Beauty

Anise hyssop has showy lavender flowers with a lively licorice flavor for salads, fruit dishes, baked goods. Extra-sweet, anise-flavored leaves make soothing teas to settle upset stomachs.

Attracts butterflies and bees. Its aromatic properties were known to the North American Indians, who used the leaves as a cough medicine. It has also been a popular bee plant, yielding a fine, mildly anise-tasting honey.

Details

A perennial shrub originally native to Europe and Asia has become a main-stay in the home garden.  Extremely hardy and can grow up to 3 feet, the green leaves have a strong scent when brushed. Can be planted as a hedge about 12" apart.

History

Hyssop is a holy herb and was used to clean sacred places. It was used by the Egyptians to cleanse lepers, and the herb is mentioned in the Bible as a purifier. Hyssop is a name of Greek origin, adopted from the Greek azob (a holy herb). It was used by Trappist monks in the preparation of liqueurs.

Uses

An essential oil derived from the green portions of the plant are used in making perfumes. Hyssop tea is made by pouring boiling water over the green tops. Hyssop tea is considered useful in chest diseases, coughs, colds and sore throats. The leaves can be used in salads, where it adds a bitter, minty taste.

Use as a pollinator attractant, the fragrant leaves and flowers bring insects into your garden.

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