Common Name: Winter Savory

General Information

Satureja montana is an evergreen perennial plant with stems that become more or less woody; it can grow around 20 - 40cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. Winter savory is often grown in the garden as a culinary herb, and is also sometimes grown commercially; there are some named varieties[, ]. The flavour of this species is said to be more coarse than that of the annual summer savory (Satureja hortensis).

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Southern Europe to west Asia - Spain, France, Italy, Austria, through the Balkans to Greece, Turkey and Lebanon

Habitat

Old walls, dry banks and rocks on hillsides, usually on calcareous soils[, ]. Forest clearings and scree, sometimes in river alluvium, especially on limestone substrata; at elevations from 400 - 1,900 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.40 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Species in this genus will generally tolerate winter temperatures occasionally falling as low as -10°c[].
An easily grown plant when given suitable conditions, it prefers a well-drained poor stony soil[, , , ] and succeeds in a hot dry sunny position[]. It prefers an alkaline soil[] though it is not too fussy. It is very intolerant of soils that remain damp, especially in the winter, and dislikes shade[]. Plants are less hardy when they are grown in rich soils and also in wet conditions[, ].
The plants live for several years, but as they grow older they do not make so much new growth and so are best replaced every two years[].
A good bee plant[].
The leaves have an aromatic fragrance[].
A good companion plant to grow in the garden, it does especially well with onions and beans and helps to repel insect pests[]. The plant is said to inhibit the germination of certain seeds[]. Winter savory seeds can prevent the germination of nearby seeds[].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[].

Edible Uses

Leaves and young shoots - raw or cooked[, , , , , , , ]. A peppery flavour, they are used mainly as a flavouring, being added to many cooked foods, especially where beans are included; in some alcoholic beverages; in the marinade for olives; and also used as a garnish for salads etc[, ]. They have a stronger, sharper flavour than summer savory (S. hortensis)[]. The leaves can be used fresh or dried[].

A herb tea is made from the fresh or dried leaves[]. The leaves are harvested just before the plant comes into flower[]. A tangy, marjoram-like flavour[].

Medicinal

Winter savory is most often used as a culinary herb, but it also has marked medicinal benefits, especially upon the whole digestive system[]. The plant has a stronger action than the closely related summer savory, Satureja hortensis[].
The whole herb, and especially the flowering shoots, is mildly antiseptic, aromatic, carminative, digestive, emmenagogue mildly expectorant, hepatoprotective, stomachic and vermifuge[, , , , , ]. Taken internally, it is said to be a sovereign remedy for colic and a cure for flatulence[], whilst it is also used to treat gastro-enteritis, cystitis, nausea, diarrhoea, bronchial congestion, sore throat and menstrual disorders[, ]. An infusion of the leaves and young stems is drunk to regulate blood pressure; it said to help prevent the blood from thickening[]. An infusion or decoction of the flowering aerial parts has been frequently used as a vermifuge to eliminate intestinal worms[].
Because the plant stimulates uterine contractions, it should not be prescribed for internal use by pregnant women[].
A sprig of the plant, rubbed onto bee or wasp stings, brings instant relief[, ].
The plant is harvested in the summer when in flower and can be used fresh or dried[].

The essential oil forms an ingredient in lotions for the scalp in cases of incipient baldness[].
An ointment made from the plant is used externally to relieve arthritic joints[]. An alcoholic analgesic lotion for topical use is prepared from the flowering stems, usually combined with several other herbs, in order to combat muscle or joint pain[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant provides a good source of nectar for bees[].
Plants can be grown as a ground cover when spaced about 45cm apart each way[].

Other Uses

The growing plant repels insects[, , ].

An essential oil is obtained from the leaves. It is used as a home fragrance, to perfume the rooms of houses or rooms with the sick or deceased[].

Propagation

Seed - surface sow in mid spring in a greenhouse. Do not allow the compost to dry out. Germination can be slow and erratic[] but usually takes place within a month[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle. It is usually possible to plant out into their permanent positions during the summer, but if the plants have not grown sufficiently, or if you live in an area of cold winters, it might be best to grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in late spring or early summer of the following year[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm taken at a node, mid summer in a frame. Pot up in autumn and overwinter in a frame, planting out in late spring or early summer of the following year. A high percentage usually succeed[].
Cuttings of young wood, preferably with a heel, mid spring in a frame[, ]. Plant out in the summer if the plants grow well, otherwise overwinter them in a cold frame and plant out in late spring or early summer of the following year[].
Division in early spring as growth commences[, ]. This works best if soil has been mounded up into the bottom 20cm of the plant early in the previous summer[]. Pot up the divisions and grow them on in a cold frame until they are established. Plant them out in the summer.