Hyssop
Origanum syriacum
Labiatae or Lamiaceae, Mint
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7
Find hyssop in the NIV God’s Word for Gardeners Bible near Psalm 51 & as part of the Garden Work theme of Watering, page a-26
He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls.
1 Kings 4:33
Cultural Information
| Type | Perennial Herb, Zone 7 and colder may grow as annual |
| Height | 18 - 36 inches |
| Soil | dry, rocky or well-drained |
| Exposure | full sun |
| Leaves | dull, deep green, obtuse, soft hairs, scented |
| Flowers | white, tiny, clustered at branch tips blooms late spring through late summer |
Planting Tips
- plant is a raised bed, rock garden or well-drained soil
- water occasionally once established
- no need for fertilizer or much attention
- bees love hyssop so plant near vegetables to foster pollination
- Origanum syriacum may also be sold as Origanum maru
Garden to Table
- brush leaves whenever you go out to the garden to enjoy their aroma
- add dainty white-flowered sprigs to homemade bouquets, especially pair with cedar foliage for a 1 Kings 4:33 verse-in-a-vase!
- season meats, pasta sauces rice or quinoa dishes with minced hyssop leaves, flavor is similar to oregano but becomes more distinctive once in bloom
More Research
See Blog Posts on HyssopA plant of common occurrence, modest needs, and highly useful: These cultural qualities make it representative of humility. To “cleanse me with hyssop” (Psalm 51:7) is to wash one of his or her pride, leading to humility before God, yielding a readiness to receive forgiveness.
-from the NIV God's Word for Gardeners Bible
He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls.
1 Kings 4:33
Photo Credits
© 2014 Shelley S. Cramm Blooming hyssop in a Texas garden
© 2014 Shelley S. Cramm Dainty hyssop flowers are a bee's delight
© 2014 Shelley S. Cramm Hyssop endures a Zone 8 winter
