Hysope

The officinal Hysope or hysope is a long-lived Arbrisseau of the family of the Lamiacées, which one finds in the environment of the garigue type in the Mediterranean regions. Its flowers, which can be violets, blue, white or red, are grouped in ear S.

Its scientific name is Hyssopus officinalis L, of the family of the Lamiacées (Labiées).

The species is quoted in the New Testament: " There was a vase full with Vinaigre. The soldiers filled a sponge of it, and, having fixed it at a branch of hysope, they approached it its mouth. When Jesus had taken the vinegar, he says: All is accomplished. And, lowering the head, it returned the spirit. ".

Distribution

Species originating in southernmost Europe, North Africa, and Occidental Asia (the Middle East, the Caucasus), it was naturalized by the culture in all the Europe and in North America.

Culture

The hysope found its place in the gardens of simple the, gardens of priests and other medieval gardens.

She prefers the sites shone upon in a rather dry and well drained ground.

The multiplication can be done by sowing in spring in seedbed, the young seedlings being set up at the autumn, or by division of old tufts in spring.
Elle belongs to the Liste of plants which well also lend themselves to the Bouturage.

Harvest can intervene a few months after the plantation. One takes the stems broken into leaf before flowering. To obtain tender sheets, to eliminate the floral stems progressively.

Use

Horticultural use

The hysope is used in the gardens of ornament like plants rubble. It is also a Plante mellifère.

Food use

The hysope is a vegetable as a aromatic. Its sheets, fresh or dried, are used, finely chopped, for to aromatize the crudenesses and salads, the jokes for the pig, the goose or the duck, but also in sauces and soups.
Ses flowers agreeably raises the taste of salads and vegetables.

It also enters the composition of some Liqueur S, of the Pastis, the Eau of melissa, the Swiss wormwood. It is one of the essential components of the elixir of Large-Chartreuse the, of the Bénédictine.
L' hysope also could be used as aromatizing agent at the time of the Brassage of beer.

Toxicological and medicinal properties

The essential Huile of hysope is prohibited on sale free because it is Neurotoxique and Abortive. However, one finds the oil of Hysope in the Liste of additives in the cigarettes.

The hysope is a medicinal Plante. All the parts of the plant are used for different therapeutic indications: Disinfectant, Stimulant E, stomachic and Expectorant E.

Traditional use

to stimulate digestion (aromatic),
to help with the evacuation of intestinal gases (Carminative),
like tonic to strengthen and relieve the mucous membranes of the respiratory tracts and the gastro-intestinal ways,
like expectorant to relieve cough and other affections of the lungs,
to strengthen the respiratory system (Pectoral),
to reduce the fever (Antipyrétique),
to induce sudation (Diaphorétique),

Source: Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/prodnatur/applications/licen-prod/monograph/mono_hyssop_f.html

In the culture

The hysope was the wood with which one gave to drinking Posca in Jesus at the time of his crucifixion.

To go further

Toil' of spices - aromatic Hysope
Herb - Ingredients of kitchen
List of the plants used in phytotherapy

references

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