Herb. No. 185 · Lamiaceae
Mountain savory of the Mediterranean and southern Europe. A rock-garden perennial.
Native · Mediterranean · Europe
Native Also grown
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Winter savory
Satureja montana
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The tougher bean herb — a shrubby perennial savory that winters over and still belongs in the pot with pulses.
Winter savory is a Mediterranean subshrub, peppery and thyme-like, hardier than the annual summer savory. Traditional use is the same bean pot: a sprig from the start of the simmer, folklore says, to tame the wind. Culinary amounts are gentle. The tea is a backup, not the meal. A harsher, more resinous leaf than S. hortensis — a pinch goes further.
Flavor
Pepper, pine, thyme. Drier and woodier than summer savory.
Parts used
Leaf and young stem
Helpful
- A perennial you plant once
- The authentic winter bean herb
Cautions
- Harsher than the annual
- Woody stems if you let it age
- Mint-family allergy