Why You Should Make Space for Hyssop in Your Garden

ByJessica Knowles July 16, 2025 Reading Time: 6 minutes

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Hyssop attracts pollinators, offers medicinal benefits, and thrives with little fuss. Here’s why it deserves a spot in your garden.

I’ll be honest—hyssop doesn’t get the fanfare it deserves. It’s not trendy like lavender or flashy like echinacea. But if you’re into practical, hard-working herbs (the kind that do more than just look pretty in a catalog), hyssop absolutely earns its place in your garden.

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth growing, let me share what I’ve learned from planting it here on my little slice of Maine.

What Exactly Is Hyssop?

Hyssop is a perennial herb, part of the mint family, and it’s been around forever—used traditionally for everything from flavoring liqueurs to cleansing sacred spaces. It’s not a fussy plant either. Once you get it established, it’s tough, drought-tolerant, and frankly doesn’t ask for much.

The stems are woody at the base, with narrow leaves and tiny flowers in shades of purple, blue, pink, or white. Bees? They love it. Butterflies and hummingbirds, too. If you’re looking to bring more pollinators to your space, hyssop is a safe bet.

Why I Make Room for Hyssop in My Garden (And Why You Might, Too)

Let’s talk about the practical reasons I keep hyssop around—and why you might want to make room for it as well.

It’s Practically a Pollinator Magnet

One of the biggest reasons I grow hyssop is how it pulls in the pollinators. I’m talking bees, butterflies, even the occasional hummingbird. In a garden where every extra pollinator makes a difference, plants like this earn their keep.

Plus, the more bees hanging around my hyssop, the more they’ll wander over to the squash and cucumbers nearby. Win-win.

Hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) is a member of the mint family and you'll want to make room for it in your herb garden this year. — Left: Hyssopus officinalis; Right: Agastache foeniculum

It’s Got a Long History of Medicinal Use

Hyssop has been used in folk medicine for centuries, especially for respiratory issues. People have brewed it as a tea to help ease coughs, soothe sore throats, and support digestion. Is it a cure-all? No. But it’s another handy herb to have on hand, especially if you lean toward natural remedies.

Just a quick note: If you’re pregnant, nursing, or have certain medical conditions, double-check before using medicinal herbs like hyssop.

It’s Culinary—If You’re Into That Sort of Thing

Truth be told, I don’t reach for hyssop often in the kitchen, but it’s got a place. The leaves and flowers have a minty, slightly bitter flavor that works well in small amounts. Some folks use it to infuse honey or vinegar, flavor liqueurs, or even add a little something extra to roasted meats.

Think of it as a more rugged, herbal cousin to mint and thyme.

It’s Low-Maintenance and Pretty, Too

Once hyssop settles into your garden, it’s easy to care for. It prefers well-drained soil and lots of sunshine but doesn’t need babying. It holds its shape, doesn’t flop all over the place, and adds a nice vertical element with those tall flower spikes.

I’ve found it fits right in alongside other herbs like sage and thyme—low-key, tidy, and quietly beautiful.

If you’re looking for more plants that work just as hard as hyssop, you might enjoy this post on how to improve your garden with permaculture herbs.

Questions You Might Have About Growing Hyssop

If you’re thinking about adding hyssop to your garden, here are a few common questions that might come up.

Absolutely. Just make sure your container has good drainage and plenty of sunshine. Like most herbs, hyssop prefers soil that dries out between waterings.

Most plants reach about 18-24 inches tall and can spread out to a similar width. It’s something to keep in mind when deciding where to tuck it in.

Hyssop is hardy in zones 4-9. In colder climates, it may die back in winter but should bounce back come spring. A layer of mulch can help protect the roots through the harshest months.

Not really. Unlike some of its mint cousins, hyssop stays in tidy clumps and doesn’t tend to take over.

Clip the stems when the plant is in bloom—that’s when the flavor and oils are strongest. You can dry both the leaves and flowers for later use, just like you would with mint or lemon balm. Once you’ve harvested your hyssop, proper storage helps preserve its flavor and benefits. Here’s my guide on how to store herbs for culinary and medicinal purposes.

It is. Bees love it, which makes it a helpful neighbor for vegetables that need pollination—think cucumbers, squash, and tomatoes.

Despite the names, they’re not the same plant. True hyssop (Hyssopus officinalis) leans herbal and minty, while anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) has a sweet, licorice flavor. Both are lovely, but they fill different roles in the garden.

Put Your Hyssop to Work: Congestion Tea Recipe

One of my favorite ways to put my homegrown hyssop to use is this simple tea for congestion. It’s easy to make, soothing when you’re feeling run down, and a good reminder of why these old-fashioned herbs still deserve a spot in our gardens. I also love having other simple remedies on hand when cold season hits. If you do too, you might appreciate this recipe for the best homemade cough medicine using simple pantry staples.

Here’s how I make it:

5 stars

Hyssop Congestion Tea

This simple hyssop tea is one of my go-to remedies for when congestion sets in. It’s soothing, easy to make with either fresh or dried hyssop, and pairs well with a little honey and lemon for extra comfort.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:2

Steep Time:10

Total Time:12

This post may contain paid links. If you make a purchase using the links in this recipe, I may earn a commission.

Equipment

Tea Infusing Spoon optional

Ingredients

1 tbsp. Hyssop (dried) or 3 tbsp. of fresh
8 oz. Water
1 tbsp. Raw Honey
1 tsp. Lemon

Instructions

Bring water to a boil.
8 oz. Water
Place the dried hyssop (or fresh, if you have it) into a tea infusing spoon or simply into a heat-safe mug.
1 tbsp. Hyssop (dried)
Pour the boiling water over the herbs, cover, and let steep for about 10 minutes to pull out the beneficial oils.
Strain if needed, then stir in honey and lemon to taste. Both are optional, but I find they make this tea extra soothing.
1 tbsp. Raw Honey, 1 tsp. Lemon

Notes

Dried hyssop leaves and flowers can be stored in an airtight jar for up to 18 months. Store them somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight to keep their flavor and benefits at their best.

If you’re dealing with more than just congestion, you might also like this recipe for homemade cough medicine for extra support.

Nutrition

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Herbal Remedy

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Keyword: congestion relief, herbal tea, homemade tea, medicinal herbs, natural remedy

Servings: cup

Calories: 56kcal

Author: Jessica Knowles

Cost: $0.80

Love this kind of practical, real-life garden advice? Save this post on Pinterest so you can find it again when you need it!

A pinterest-friendly graphic promoting hyssop in the garden.

Worth the space? For me? Yes. Without question. Hyssop earns its keep here season after season. It supports the pollinators, offers a little herbal medicine when I need it, and doesn’t demand much in return.

If you’ve got a sunny spot and you like plants that work as hard as you do, hyssop is worth a look.

Thanks for spending a little time here with me today. I’m glad we get to share this homesteading life—even the small, herbal parts of it.

From my homestead to yours,
Jessica

Jessica Knowles

Owner, Writer at The 104 Homesteader

Jessica Knowles is a long-time Maine homesteader and the voice behind The 104 Homestead and Forget-Me-Not Quail Farm. With over a decade of experience in small-scale farming and self-sufficiency, she shares practical tips to help you build a homestead that actually works—for real life, not just Pinterest.

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

33 Comments

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1. Sue says:
  
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  ? why is this here?
  
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Judy Pohlers says:

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This was most interesting and I am looking forward to planting Hyssop! Comments were fun to read, too

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Michaela Johnson says:

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Last year I moved into a house with clumps of hyssop taking up a three foot square expanse of the front garden. I love the fact that it attracts the bees and butterflies, but would like to plant other pollinators in the garden. However ti appears to take over and I’m afraid it will overtake newly established plants. It is also coming up here and there in other areas of the yard. Any ideas on how to control it? Thanks so much for any insights.

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1. Heather Tamayo says:
  
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  If you are willing to mail them I’ll happily take some of those hyssop bushes off of your hands. Send me a text at 843-860-5681 & I can walk you through digging them up & prepping them for the mail. I’m totally willing to costs.
  
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Melanie says:

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I got super lucky one day and stumbled upon hyssop plants being sold and I immediately knew what I was looking at! Naturally I scooped up two, I probably should’ve got four lol But this was a few years ago and now they are huge! They are my favorite part of my garden because they are big, bushy and they smell terrific. They attract bumble bees ? and butterflies ? and that makes me happy because we need to keep the pollinators happy and abundant. Best parts is I get an ongoing supply to dry out and use for tea. I’m actually drinking some now because I’ve got a bellyache. I went strait to my tea supply and made up a mixture of hyysop, spearmint and slippery elm bark. It’s so nice to have things on hand that are natural and homegrown.

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Monika says:

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Hello. I love to learn new herbs that help with health naturally. The minute I read “ads flavor to Absinthe” I knew that this is an herb I will definitely try to grow myself. I will check back and read your new articles and will tell about you to many of my friends. Again thank you.

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hoa says:

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Your article is very good, your article gives me a great source of inspiration and information. But reading the comments below I am a little confused because the opinions are quite different.

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Jess says:

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I love to pull a few leaves of my hyssop and crush them in my hands and just breathe it in! I use the leaves most often for teas as they are available year round. I also make sure to label my herbs with their Latin names. Common names of herbs can be very confusing sinse many have the same name.
I went through the same confusing name game with Vervain, Verbena, and Aloysia Citrodora which are all called verbena.

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The Herb Lady says:

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Hyssop can also be used as a small hedge in a formal garden in place of the usual box hedge.

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Laura says:

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I grow hyssop in my garden and I love the fragrance. Sometimes when I want to freshen the air in my kitchen, I pour some boiling water over a few fresh hyssop sprigs in a bowl, and it smells so lovely and fresh. I originally planted it because I had heard the flowers and leaves have wound healing properties, so I wanted to include it in my homemade healing salve (which I did do, but haven’t had a chance to test it yet).

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Kathy says:

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Hyssop is also has a wonderful fragrance that will envelope your garden! It’s lovely, and grows quite tall. So planting it behind shorter plants would be best!

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pj says:

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I am a little confused… first it says to get the true variety for medicinal uses and then says to gather seeds from wild plants. wouldn’t the wild seeds be the non-medicinal N. American variety? so, if i want the med. kind, i would not gather seeds and only buy the ones from Europe in a seed catalog. right?

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1. Jessica Lane says:
  
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  When I said “true” I meant hyssop and not anise. Both can be found wild throughout North America. Just make sure you are checking those leaves and blossoms before harvesting.
  
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2. Tuulikki says:
  
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  A lot of plants we have in North America have been brought here from overseas. So I’m assuming that’s the case for blue hyssop (true hyssop)
  
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Liz says:

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Do the leaves also have any medicinal properties?

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1. Jessica Lane says:
  
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  I am not familiar with any common medicinal uses for the leaves, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Sorry I don’t have more information for you.
  
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Sondra Dickerson says:

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where might I purchase a Hyssop plant. Have inquired at several nurseries within a 50 mile radius of my residence. The keepers of the nurseries give me the look of sure thing lady. Lost your mind…

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1. Jessica Lane says:
  
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  It can be hard to track down locally, especially the plants. They sell the seeds on Amazon if that helps. http://amzn.to/1Rl2piX
  
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  1. Kathy Tignor says:
    
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    I found a place called “Grower’s Exchange” and they offer herbal and medicinal plants; there are plenty of online places that sell seeds, but I’d prefer the jump start of already established plants. Most of their plants start at $5.95, some a few dollars more. Just search the name: The Growers Exchange. Photos of the plants, too. A great place to look for those “hard to find” herbal and medicinal plants. Hope this helps you.
    
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Anonymous says:

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Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7

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Lissa says:

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Is it pet friendly? Is it toxic to dogs?

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1. Jessica Lane says:
  
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  Hyssop is both dog and cat friendly.
  
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jeannemarie says:

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Butterflies love it too, I volunteered at a butterfly house and it was always covered with butterflies

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1. Sandy says:
  
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  I have bought many of my seeds and plants at strickly medicinal seeds with very good luck. They carry both hyssop and anise hyssop, seeds and plants. I am posting this in June 2025 in case someone is reading it over a year after it was posted, like myself. I am not affiliated with this company, I just like their products and thought I would share.
  
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  1. Jessica Knowles says:
    
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    Thanks for sharing! I’ve had good luck with Strictly Medicinal too—they’re a solid source. Appreciate you adding the update for future readers!
    
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Mike says:

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Hyssop is also a great companion plant for grapes as it invigorates their growth and deters pests.

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1. Jessica Lane says:
  
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  Good to know! My grapes need all the help they can get. The ducks pulled the protective netting down and the chickens had a party. They are sad looking grape plants now.
  
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2. lou says:
  
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  Thanks Mike. I am planting mine near the grapes and good to know it will help them.
  
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3. Anna@GreenTalk says:
  
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  I grow hyssop from seed. It is really easy. I use the leaves and the flowers for the cough syrup. It drives me crazy when people confuse anise and hyssop. Hyssop actually retains its leaves during the winter while anise doesn’t.
  
  Anise does have medicinal attributes according to Susun Weed. Read here: http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/August11/nourish-yourself.htm
  
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  1. Leatrice Gulbransen says:
    
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    I’m still confused after reading all the comments. Here in Central California we have what grows wild and looks exactly like Dill. People call it Anise. Smells like black licorice. Now I have Hyssop and Anise Hyssop to add to the confusion. Help ? LOL !
    
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    1. Judi says:
      
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      A plant that looks like dill, but smells like black licorice would be fennel.
      
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      1. Sam says:
        
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        Actually, anise is its own plant. It does indeed look similar to dill and smells like black licorice. It is different than fennel, but the three plants (dill, fennel, and anise) are in the same family, along with cumin and many other things. The scientific name of anise is Pimpinella anisum.
        
        “Anise hyssop” is a different plant that is not related to either anise or hyssop any more than a pineapple is related to a pine tree or an apple. Common names can be confusing and misleading! I’m assuming the common name of this plant comes from the fact that it smells a little like anise and has flowers that look a little like hyssop. No one ever sat around and had a hearing about what a plant’s common name should be, they kind of just come from some guy saying “hey, this reminds me of _____” and it catches on and sticks. Anyway the scientific name of anise hyssop is Agastache foeniculum.
        
        The one that’s called just hyssop has the scientific name of Hyssopus officinalis.
        
        You can use the scientific names to be 100% sure you’re talking about the thing you mean if you ever get confused.