2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Hyssop / Hyssopus / also known as kalam and hyssop is a genus of 10-12 species of herbaceous plants or semi-shrubs that belong to the family Ustotsvetni. Hyssop is distributed in the region from the eastern Mediterranean to Central Asia.
Hyssop is a fragrant plant with erect branched stems that reach a height of 1 meter. They are covered with fine hairs on the very tops. Hyssop leaves are narrow and oblong.
Its flowers are small and blue, located at the top of the branches. They bloom in summer. The most famous species of this genus is the medicinal hyssop, which is widely grown outside its native areas.
Hyssop composition
The herb contains about 1% essential oil, whose main ingredients are pinocamphon and pinene, cineole, sesquiterpenes and camphene. Hyssop contains tannins, ursolic and oleanolic acid, rosemary acid, mineral salts, resins, sugars, organic acids and more.
The rhizome of hyssop has a pleasant, light aroma and slightly pungent taste. The dried rhizome contains 3.5% essential oil, bitter and polyphenolic substances, antibiotic ingredients and polysaccharides.
Growing hyssop
Hyssop loves light but abundantly fertilized soils. It is sown in early spring in rows with a distance of 30 cm between them. When propagated vegetatively, in the autumn the tufts are removed and divided into parts. Then they are planted at a distance of 50-60 cm in rows. Hyssop seeds can also be sown in the fall.
The best results are obtained when sown in rows at distances of 3.5 cm from each other. Cover with fertilizer-soil mixture. The following year, in the spring, when the plants have grown enough to go to a permanent place and the weather is right, hyssop is sown in furrows. In order to catch successfully, more frequent watering is needed in the beginning.
Hyssop is harvested several times. The twigs that will be used for fresh spice are harvested several times when they reach a height of 12-20 cm. The cut twigs are tied in bundles and left to dry. If the above-ground part is to be used for essential oil, it should be cut before flowering. Hyssop blooms in the second year after sowing.
Collection and storage of hyssop
During flowering, only the shoots are cut, a few centimeters below the lower flowers. Dry and sunny weather should be chosen for picking. The collected parts are cleaned of accidental impurities and dried in ventilated rooms in the shade.
They must be tied on wrists, hung on nails or other suitable devices. Properly dried stalks hyssop they must have retained their natural appearance, but a slight fading of the colors is allowed. The dried hyssop is stored in dry and ventilated rooms.
Cooking with hyssop
Hyssop leaves are used in Mediterranean and Oriental cuisine. In our kitchen the herb is not very common, but it can be used to flavor cheeses, milk dips, soups, beans, potatoes, meat pies.
Hyssop can be used as a substitute for sage. The taste of hyssop is slightly bitter and the aroma is very fine. When dried, however, it is almost completely lost. To preserve the pleasant aroma of the plant, it is detached exactly as it should be and placed directly in the dish. For this purpose, however, hyssop should be grown in a pot.
Hyssop gives a spicy taste to minced meat, roast beef. Goes with spices like dill, marjoram, basil, parsley and oregano. Once attached to the dishes, they should not be covered with a lid.
Benefits of hyssop
From hyssop valuable essential oil is extracted, which is relatively expensive but very effective. It is used to treat respiratory problems, release accumulated mucus and bronchospasm.
The aroma of the oil stimulates the appetite and improves digestion. Hyssop is a very good tonic for people who have experienced a serious illness because it creates a feeling of wakefulness.
The essential oil of hyssop used for massage on sprained areas. In addition, the massage with the oil soothes nervous tension, nervous insomnia, migraine, rheumatic pain, muscle and menstrual pain, irregular menstruation and high blood pressure, flu, sore throat and more. Hyssop has a laxative effect.
Hyssop used in chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, constipation and dyspepsia. The herb can be used externally for rinsing wounds and ulcers, for rinsing the mouth with inflammatory processes in the oral cavity and throat.
Folk medicine with hyssop
In folk medicine hyssop It is used in the form of infusions for anemia, digestive disorders, asthma and rheumatism. It is used for angina, for the application of skin eczema and scrofula.
To make the infusion you need 2 tsp. dried hyssop, which are flooded with 1 tsp. boiling water and after cooling strain. This is a daily dose.
Harm from hyssop
Hyssop oil should be avoided during pregnancy.
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Hyssop Is An Ideal Spice For Minced Meat And Beef
Hyssop is a fragrant perennial herb. In Bulgaria it is most often found in southwestern Bulgaria and in the Belogradchik region, on high limestone rocks. It is mostly popular as an herb with a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. Recommended mainly for coughs and stomach problems.
Culinary Use Of Hyssop
Hyssop is an extremely fragrant herbaceous plant with dark blue flowers. In Bulgaria it is found mainly in the Belogradchik region. It is used both as an herb and as a spice. The herb hyssop is used for inflammations such as coughs and stomach aches.
Health Benefits Of Hyssop
In the time of Hippocrates, the hyssop plant was known as a sacred herb. The benefits of this fragrant plant with delicate blue flowers are many. The above-ground parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes. Essential oil is also extracted from them.
Folk Medicine With Hyssop
The genus Hyssop contains about 12 species of plants, the most common of which is the medicinal hyssop - Hyssopus officinalis. Medicinal hyssop helps with dry cough, as it has an expectorant effect. It is also used in bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, constipation, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
The Herb Hyssop For Insomnia And Nervous Tension
Insomnia, anxiety, tension - all related conditions. The most common cause of insomnia is stress, which in most cases is the result of overexertion. They are extremely unpleasant and interfere with the normal way of life. Herbal medicine offers a cure for everything.
