Hyssop Oxymel: An Herbal Expectorant Recipe

Let me introduce you to Hyssop officinalis, an herb used since Biblical times for cleansing and healing. Not only does it make a beautiful garden border and a good companion plant, it holds many medicinal qualities as well.

hyssop flowers
hyssop flowers

According to Penelope Ody in her book The Complete Medicinal Herbal, Hyssop has the following actions: expectorant, carminative (relieves flatulence), relaxes peripheral blood vessels, promotes sweating, reduces phlegm, topical anti-inflammatory, antiviral (Herpes simplex), antispasmodic.

hyssop plants
hyssop plants

Growing Hyssop

I’ve tried growing it from seed with little luck, though if you’re diligent enough it can be done. I finally gave up and purchased several hyssop plants from The Grower’s Exchange.

I planted them underneath our grape vines as I’ve read they make a good companion plant for grapes. Knowing they are medicinal made it worth the cost and space they required.

Hyssop is a member of the mint family, though I haven’t found them to spread as aggressively as mint. The woody plants will grow to be about 24″ tall with a spread of 24″ wide. A bushy evergreen that flowers during the summer months, they grow well in zones 3-11.

They thrive in full sun, but can handle partial shade; preferring hot, sunny afternoons. Hyssop is a hardy perennial, tolerating drier conditions and even rocky soil with a little sand worked in to loosen the ground.

When I planted mine, I put down a layer of cardboard underneath our grapevines (to suppress the weeds), covered that with a few inches of Miracle Grow Garden Soil, and planted the hyssop seedlings directly into that.

Although the vines do provide some dappled shade, so far the hyssop has grown well for us here in zone 7. I’m anxious to see how they do through the winter.

harvested hyssop plants
harvested hyssop plants

How To Use Hyssop

Traditionally hyssop blossoms are picked and used in cough syrups, but if you don’t have enough blossoms to harvest you can use all aerial parts of the plant (stems, leaves, blossoms).

Hyssop can be used fresh or dried, as a tea, tincture, or syrup. Drink a hot tea during the early stages of cold and flu. Combine it with other expectorant herbs for bronchitis and stubborn coughs. When making a syrup or oxymel, you can combine it with mullein flowers or licorice root for bad coughs and lung weakness.

Hyssop essential oil can be used as a chest rub for bronchitis and chesty colds: Dilute 10 drops hyssop oil in 20 ml almond oil and rub on chest as needed. Combines well with thyme and eucalyptus essential oils.

Precautions:

“Not recommended while pregnant. Excessive use has been associated with causing seizures and should be avoided by people prone to seizure.”

source

Hyssop Oxymel Recipe

An oxymel is a traditional “sweet and sour” cough syrup, which combines herbs, honey, and vinegar. For this recipe I followed directions found at Herb Mentor.

a jar of homemade hyssop oxymel
a jar of homemade hyssop oxymel

Ingredients

  • fresh or dried hyssop
  • good quality honey (preferably local)
  • organic apple cider vinegar
  • clean glass jar with a plastic lid (I’d recommend a pint jar)

Directions

First, fill your jar with hyssop. If you’re working with fresh herbs, chop the herbs and pour them into the jar. (I don’t wash my herbs first, but I try to avoid stems which have been in contact with dirt.

You can spray them off if you like, but allow the water to dry before using. Oh, and watch for bugs.) Don’t press the herbs to compact them, but leave them loose. If you’re working with dried herbs, fill the jar half-way.

Next, fill the jar 1/3 to 1/2 full with honey.

Pour vinegar over all to fill jar. Use a plastic or wooden spoon to mix together well.

Cover the jar with a plastic lid (vinegar reacts with metal), label the jar with the contents and date, and allow to sit for 2-4 weeks. I place my jar in a bathroom cabinet, and give it a shake every few days.

Strain off the herbs and pour the syrup into a clean bottle. Label and store. This mixture does not require refrigeration, but it won’t hurt it if you prefer to do so. It will stay good for several months.

It is recommended to take 1-2 tsp. every hour, or as needed for congested coughs.

Do you grow hyssop? What’s your favorite way to use it?

10 thoughts on “Hyssop Oxymel: An Herbal Expectorant Recipe”

  1. Thank you Kendra! I grew some this winter in zone 11. I could not get them to flower. I just harvested leaves and stems and plan to try your syrup. Will the lack of flowers be a problem?

    Reply
  2. Hi, I realize this is an old thread but on the off chance you read this question, if I wanted to add mullein to this, how much would I add? Or do a mullein oxymel and combine later? Thanks in advance!

    Reply
  3. Hello
    I made oxymel from anise hyssop grown in organic compost using the square foot garden method. Wow, it grew tremendously.
    I made the oxymel recipe June 2016 and forgot to strain out the hyssop. It is now January 2017.

    Can I still strain it and use it? Or have I created a bio hazard ???
    Thanks
    Gina

    Reply
    • Hi Gina. Very cool that you tried the recipe! Bummer that you forgot to strain it out though (I’ve done the same thing). I’d probably toss it and make a fresh batch this year, just to be safe. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Thanks so much for this. I did grow hyssop this year from seed in my greenhouse. Had no problem getting it to germinate, (plants love it in there) but have to take things out when it gets too hot around mid June. I am going to go harvest my plants now and make this. I never got flowers on this first year. I am excited to read I can use the aerial parts though. Thanks!

    Reply
  5. I found your article about Hyssop very informative while I cringed when you said you use “Miracle Grow” Soil. Why on earth woukld you support a chemical industry when you are trying so hard to live a self-sufficient lifestyle?
    I grow my hyssop in full sun near my bronze fennel plants in an old compost pile.
    Naturally and organically. We also have healthy bees and I do not support chemicals or pesticides, nor the bad companies trying to control our lives, our food, our seeds and our dear mother earth.

    Reply
    • Plummy,

      I know. I cringed as I wrote that I used it, lol. If it makes it any better, it was Organic. I know it isn’t as good as home-grown compost, but we just didn’t have enough of that for the job. Had to buy something, and wanted to be sure it was organic. *shrug* You do what you can do.

      Reply
  6. I have always wondered why it was mentioned so much in Biblical times! Thank you Kendra for creating so many articles about natural healing plants. I am learning so much from you. 🙂

    Reply

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