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Satureja hortensis - L.                
                 
Common Name Summer Savory
Family Lamiaceae
Synonyms
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Dry gravelly and stony slopes to 1500 metres[74].
Range S.E. Europe to W. Asia.
Edibility Rating  
Medicinal Rating  
Care
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun

Summary       

Physical Characteristics       
 icon of manicon of flower
Satureja hortensis is a ANNUAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.4 m (1ft 4in).
It is hardy to zone 6. It is in flower from Jul to August, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.The plant is self-fertile.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.


Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very alkaline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Satureja hortensis Summer Savory


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Satureja_hortensis_Sturm51.jpg
Satureja hortensis Summer Savory
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:LlezSatureja montana
   
Habitats       
 Cultivated Beds;
Edible Uses                                         
Edible Parts: Leaves.
Edible Uses: Condiment;  Tea.

Leaves - raw or cooked[1, 2, 20, 27, 34, 37, 52]. An aromatic, slightly peppery flavour, they are used mainly as a flavouring for cooked foods, especially the more difficult to digest foods such as beans where they compliment the flavour and reduce flatulence[183, 244]. They are also used as a garnish for salads etc[183]. The leaves can be used fresh or dried[183]. A herb tea is made from the leaves[14]. The leaves are harvested just before the plant comes into flower[183]. A tangy, marjoram-like flavour[183]. The flowering shoots contain about 0.5% essential oil[7], this is used as a food flavouring[46, 61, 105].
Medicinal Uses


Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Antirheumatic;  Antiseptic;  Aromatic;  Carminative;  Digestive;  Expectorant;  Stings;  Stomachic.

Summer savory is most often used as a culinary herb, but it also has marked medicinal benefits, especially upon the whole digestive system[254]. The plant has a milder action than the closely related winter savory, S. montana[254]. The whole herb, and especially the flowering shoots, is antiseptic, aromatic, carminative, digestive, expectorant and stomachic[4, 7, 14, 21]. Taken internally, it is said to be a sovereign remedy for colic and a cure for flatulence[4], whilst it is also used to treat nausea, diarrhoea, bronchial congestion, sore throat and menstrual disorders[238]. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women[238]. A sprig of the plant, rubbed onto bee or wasp stings, brings instant relief[4]. The plant is harvested in the summer when in flower and can be used fresh or dried[238]. The essential oil forms an ingredient in lotions for the scalp in cases of incipient baldness[7]. An ointment made from the plant is used externally to relieve arthritic joints[7].
Other Uses
Essential;  Repellent.

The essential oil from the flowering shoots is used extensively in perfumery, giving a particular quality to the fragrance[7]. When grown near beans it repels insect pests[201].
Cultivation details                                         
A very easily grown plant when given suitable conditions, it prefers a rich light soil with plenty of moisture[1, 4, 14, 27] and succeeds in a hot dry sunny position[200]. It prefers growing in an alkaline soil[200] but is not too fussy. It is very intolerant of soils that remain damp and dislikes shade[200]. Summer savory is often grown as a culinary herb. It is a good companion plant in the garden, where it helps to repel insect pests and grows especially well with onions and beans[14, 18, 20]. A fast-growing plant, it can be harvested within 2 months of sowing the seed[244]. If cut back as the flower buds appear, it will produce a fresh flush of leaves[1]. Summer savory seeds can prevent the germination of nearby seeds[201]. The leaves have an aromatic fragrance[245]. The flowers are very attractive to bees[7, 14]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].
                                                                                 
Propagation                                         
Seed - sow April in situ and only just cover[1]. Germinates in about 2 weeks. The plant strongly resents root disturbance so do not transplant it. In areas with mild winters an autumn sowing will provide an earlier supply of leaves[200].
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Expert comment                                         
 
      
Author                                         
L.
                                                                                 
Botanical References                                         
74200
                                                                                 
Links / References                                         

[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[7]Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants.
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
[14]Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs.
A good herbal.
[18]Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants.
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
[20]Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening.
Fairly good.
[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[27]Vilmorin. A. The Vegetable Garden.
A reprint of a nineteenth century classic, giving details of vegetable varieties. Not really that informative though.
[34]Harrison. S. Wallis. M. Masefield. G. The Oxford Book of Food Plants.
Good drawings of some of the more common food plants from around the world. Not much information though.
[37]Thompson. B. The Gardener's Assistant.
Excellent general but extensive guide to gardening practices in the 19th century. A very good section on fruits and vegetables with many little known species.
[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[52]Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round.
A good and comprehensive guide to temperate salad plants, with full organic details of cultivation.
[61]Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man.
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[74]Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR.
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers.
[105]Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World.
The most comprehensive guide to edible plants I've come across. Only the briefest entry for each species, though, and some of the entries are more than a little dubious. Not for the casual reader.
[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[201]Allardice.P. A - Z of Companion Planting.
A well produced and very readable book.
[233]Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants
A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses.
[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[244]Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs
Deals with all types of herbs including medicinal, culinary, scented and dye plants. Excellent photographs with quite good information on each plant.
[245]Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World.
An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
[254]Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

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