Botanical name: Hyssopus officinalis
Folk names: Isop
Type: Shrub, semi-evergreen,

Wildlife: Nectar for bumblebees and butterflies.

Flowers: July to August

Decorative merit: Spikes of blue flowers, up to 80cm high. Lance-like, aromatic leaves.

Where: Sun. Herb patches, gravel gardens, front of south-facing borders and rock gardens with well-drained soil. Try it in a container. Prune in early spring to encourage bushier growth into the summer.

Folklore: Used as a purifying and fragrant herb since ancient times.

Donate seeds to Exeter Seed Bank