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Mountain Savory Satureja montana

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
sah-tur-AY-jah mon-TAY-nah
Description

Winter Savory is an edible, perennial flowering herb, with a culinary, medicinal, aromatic and decorative value. It is a low-growing, shrubby plant with edible flowers that have a spicy, peppery taste and leaves that are used to flavor meat, fish, salads, soup, stew, and sausage. Savory is most often used as a culinary herb, but it also has marked medicinal benefits, especially upon the whole digestive system. In addition to its culinary value, Winter Savory can also be used as an ornamental border or edging in the garden. The plant is grown from cuttings or seed in early spring and harvested in the summer when in flower and can be used fresh or dried. Winter Savory is a good companion plant for onions and beans and will repel insect pests. Winter Savory is grown as an perennial, unlike its cousin, Summer Savory, which is grown as an annual and tends to have a milder, less bitter flavor. The genus name comes from the Latin for Savory and the species name, Montana, comes from the Latin for mountain.

Winter Savory is easy to grow in sandy, well-drained soil and dry or medium levels of moisture, full sun and alkaline soil, although the plant does tolerate light shade. However, it does not do well in damp soil or shade. It is a fast-growing plant, can be harvested within 2 months of sowing, and can be cut back as the flower buds appear to produce a fresh flush of leaves. You can also prune to remove dead wood in early spring; however, keep in mind that the plant goes dormant in the winter and a branch that appears dead in dormancy will sprout new growth in the spring. The plants live for several years, but do not create new growth as they grow older and are best replaced every two years. The flowers are very attractive to bees, but the plant is rarely troubled by deer.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases or insect pests.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#shrub#edible flowers#spreading#herbaceous perennial#edible leaves#edible
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#evergreen#shrub#edible flowers#spreading#herbaceous perennial#edible leaves#edible
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Satureja
    Species:
    montana
    Family:
    Lamiaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    Used fresh in savory dishes like chicken, fish, and pork.
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Southwestern Asia and Southern Europe
    Distribution:
    Introduced into Texas, Portugal, and the Azores.
    Edibility:
    Leaves can be used fresh or dried as a seasoning in food.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Edible
    Herb
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Multi-stemmed
    Rounded
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Sand
    Shallow Rocky
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Occasionally Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    12 inches-3 feet
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Type:
    Nut
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Long Bloom Season
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Blooms from June to August.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Glossy
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Fragrant
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Lanceolate
    Linear
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Stiff, linear to lance-shaped, pungent, dark green leaves (to 1 inch long).
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Rock Wall
    Landscape Theme:
    Edible Garden
    Rock Garden
    Design Feature:
    Border
    Small groups
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Poor Soil