Savory

Summer savory is a low growing annual.  Winter savory is an equally diminutive perennial.  Purists insist the summer herb has a sweeter, more delicate aroma; however today most cooks and herbalists use them interchangeably.  But this was not always the case - especially in the bedroom.

For reasons lost to history, the ancient Romans linked summer savory to the mythological satyrs - the lustful, half man, half goat creatures who threw debauched orgies in honor of Dionysus, god of wine.  As a result, the Roman naturalist Pliny called summer savory an aphrodisiac and the winter herb a sex depressant.  Not surprisingly, summer savory was more popular.

The Romans introduced summer savory throughout Europe, where it quickly became a popular spice.  Germanic tribes loved its flavor in beans and called it bean herb.  To this day, Germans regard savory as an effective remedy for the downside of beans, flatulence.   The Germanic Saxons who settled in Britain though savory made every food taste, well, savory, which is how it got its English name.

Savory contains an expectorant (cineole) and chemicals that soothe the digestive tract.  Although these chemicals make it appropriate as a digestive aid, scientists agree with traditional herbalists that savory is less powerful than most of the mints.  Its gentler action confirms its traditional use for childhood ailments.

The medical literature contains no reports of harm from either summer or winter savory.

Savory is included in the Food and Drug Administration's list of herbs generally regarded as safe.  For otherwise healthy non pregnant, non nursing adults, savory is safe in amounts typically recommended.

Savory should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation withyour doctor.  Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Annual summer savory reaches 18 inches.  It has hairy, purplish stems, narrow, lance-shaped leaves, and small white or pink flowers, which bloom from midsummer through the first frost.  Winter savory is a compact, woody, perennial bush that grows to 12 inches.  Its leaves are similar to those of its summer cousin, only darker green, and its flowers, which bloom from mid to late summer, are white or lavender.

Both are easy to grow from seeds or cuttings, and both grow well in containers.  Summer savory grows in most moist, well-drained soils.