When the weather was warmer – I harvested this beautiful plant and used the leaves to make Anise Hyssop & vodka tincture (a mason jar full of leaves and 100 proof vodka in a dark and cool place for 4 weeks). Then I saved the flowers and seeds for spring to plant more in planters in the garden.

The blooming flowers were always covered with many different kinds of bees and other insects and if I brushed my hand on the flowers or leaves, the smell of licorice was intoxicating.  It’s one of my favorites!

In my class at the Herbal Academy of New England, I am learning that not only is this plant beautiful and smell amazing, it has healing properties when used as a tea, tonic, poultice or tincture and I am looking forward to adding more plants to the garden, and testing out some of these uses for myself.