As an ornamental, medicinal and herbal plant, saint's herb ranks on a par with proven classics such as sage or lavender. Although the evergreen shrub with bright yellow flowers comes from the Mediterranean region, it thrives here as a hardy perennial. The following answers to frequently asked questions reveal how effortless it is to plant and care for the cypress herb.

Holy herb likes it warm and sunny, but can also cope with frost

Table of Contents

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  1. Plant holy herb correctly
  2. care tips
  3. Which location is suitable?
  4. What soil does the plant need?
  5. When is flowering time?
  6. Properly chop the sacchard
  7. watering holy herb
  8. Fertilize holy herb correctly
  9. hibernate
  10. multiply holy herb
  11. Holy herb in the pot
  12. Is holy herb poisonous?
  13. What uses are there?

    14. Plant holy herb correctly

    Spring is the ideal planting time for the Mediterranean perennial. In a sunny location with sandy-loamy and well-drained soil, dig a small pit with 1.5 times the diameter of the root ball. Do not place the potted young plant deeper than it was previously in the nursery pot. After you have watered the holy herb, it gratefully accepts an inorganic mulch layer of gravel or grit.

    care tips

    With this compact care program, young holy herb is transformed in no time into a fragrant, magnificently flowering power pack for the gravel bed, the roof garden and all sunny, lean and calcareous areas of your garden:

    • Only water the cypress herb when the soil has dried well
    • As a bedding plant, fertilize organically in April and June
    • Fertilize in the pot every 14 days until the end of the flowering period
    • Harvest regularly to encourage compact growth
    • Cut back two-thirds after flowering or in late winter

    In rough locations and in pot culture, a light winter protection has a beneficial effect on maintaining health. In the bed, a layer of brushwood or leaves keeps frosty temperatures at bay. Pots are given a winter coat of jute or foil and placed on wood.

    Which location is suitable?

    Native to the sun-drenched regions of the Mediterranean, Heiligenkraut favors a location with these conditions:

    • Sunny, warm and sheltered from the wind
    • Ideally under an eaves as rain protection
    • Well-drained, sandy-loamy soil

    In the pot garden on the sun-drenched balcony, the Mediterranean plant feels in good hands and at the same time keeps annoying mosquitoes at bay with its scent.

    What soil does the plant need?

    Mediterranean holy herb feels at home in sandy-loamy, moderately dry rock garden soil. Common garden soil should be thinned down with fine grit and sand to meet the requirements. As a pot substrate, we recommend commercially available herbal soil, optimized with lava granules (€13.99) or perlite. (€37.51)

    When is flowering time?

    Bright yellow cup-shaped flowers catch the eye from June to August. The further the flowering period progresses, the more intensively Heiligenkraut exudes a pleasant, spicy scent. If the cypress herb is in full bloom, the best time has come for a cut as a dried flower.

    Properly chop the sacchard

    Professional cutting plays a key role in the care program. The scissors are used in several ways, as the following overview shows:

    • Cut fully bloomed stems to the ground for use as a dried flower
    • Cut off leaves regularly during growth as a kitchen, tea or medicinal herb
    • In May, young shoots repeatedly pinch for bushy branching
    • Cut top cuttings in June for vegetative propagation

    After flowering, cut back Holy Herb by up to two thirds. If seeding is desired in the bed, wait until early spring with the maintenance cut.
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    watering holy herb

    With the watering can in hand, you will seldom set out on your way to your sanctuary in the garden. Experience has shown that the rain covers the need for bedding plants. Cultivated in a pot, however, the substrate dries more quickly. Therefore, check the moisture content with your finger every 2-3 days. If the soil feels dry to a depth of 2 cm, it is watered.

    Fertilize holy herb correctly

    If cypress herb thrives as a container plant, fertilize with a liquid preparation every 14 days from April to September. Planted holy herb is content with an organic starter fertilization in April, which is repeated in June. If the Mediterranean plant is not only decorative, but also acts as a medicinal and herbal plant, we recommend the exclusive use of organic fertilizer. In the bed there is compost and horn shavings. (32.93€) In the pot, preparations such as BioTrissol herb fertilizer from Neudorff meet the requirements.

    hibernate

    Well-established plants endure frosty temperatures down to - 18 degrees Celsius. In the first two years, in locations with harsh winter conditions and in pot culture, we still recommend the following precautions:

    • Before the first frost, cover holy herb in the bed with leaves, brushwood or fir fronds
    • Large pots on wood put in front of the south wall of the house and wrap with foil
    • Ideally place pots with a diameter of less than 30 cm in bright, frost-free winter quarters

    Since cypress herb is evergreen, keep watering the plant to keep the root ball from drying out.

    multiply holy herb

    If garden friends are looking for more specimens, Heiligenkraut offers 3 propagation methods. Even the inexperienced hand can divide in the spring. Simply dig up the root ball, cut it up and plant it in the ground at the new location. In early summer, the plant provides plenty of top cuttings, which are grown in pots with poor substrate to form magnificent young plants. Anyone looking for a gardening challenge will opt for sowing the seeds. Since you are dealing with cold germs here, a stratification lasting several weeks is necessary.

    Holy herb in the pot

    In order to always have holy herb at hand for the kitchen, there is nothing wrong with cultivating it in a pot on the sunny windowsill. Commercial herbal soil can be used as a substrate, enriched with a little sand for the best permeability. A potsherd above the water outlet also prevents harmful waterlogging. The care in the pot is short and to the point. Water only when the substrate has dried. From May to September, apply a diluted concentration of liquid fertilizer weekly. After the end of the flowering period, boldly cut the plant into shape. The cypress herb stays light and cool throughout the winter to gather strength for the next season.

    Is holy herb poisonous?

    Holy herb is packed with valuable ingredients such as essential oils, tannins and bitter substances. Since antiquity, the gray holy herb in particular has made a name for itself as an effective medicinal plant. In the 17th century, the cypress herb was discovered as a spicy ingredient for delicious dishes and is still considered an insider tip among gourmets. There is no trace of poisonous content in this plant far and wide.

    What uses are there?

    The pretty yellow flowers are by no means the only motivation for growing holy herb. The valuable ingredients qualify the plant for these multifaceted uses:

    • As a flavorful accompaniment to fresh and cooked dishes
    • Fresh or dried leaves prepared into an aromatic tea
    • Beneficial for colds, stomach and intestinal problems
    • Dried flowers as a table decoration throughout the year
    • Fresh flowers as a repellent for mosquitoes
    • Dried flowers in a sachet as a repellent against moths

    Shortly before the beginning of the flowering period, the content of the ingredients is at its zenith. The scent is retained during and after flowering, although the taste of leaves and seeds takes on a sharp, bitter note.
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Herbs