Sacred herb, also known as cypress herb, is grown in the garden for its pretty yellow flowers. But the herb with the spicy aroma can do even more. The leaves refine salads and the flowers are used as an effective home remedy.
What is holy herb used for?
Sacred herb is used primarily as a flavorful herb in salads, aromatic tea, soothing bath additives, and as a natural pesticide against mosquitoes, moths and other insects. The leaves, flowers and seeds are all edible.
All parts of the plant are edible
- leaves
- Flowers
- Seeds
Fresh saint herb leaves give salads a piquant note. All parts of the plant can be used fresh or dried to make an aromatic tea that has a stimulating effect.
Proven home remedy against mosquitoes and moths
The strongly scented flowers of saint herb are a proven home remedy against all kinds of pests that occur in the kitchen and household.
You can place fresh flowers with the stem in a vase or just place the flowers in a water bowl. Place them on the garden table or windowsill to keep mosquitoes away. In the kitchen itself, holy herb flowers repel fruit flies and flour moths.
Pour dried flowers into herb bags and distribute between your laundry. Bedding, wool sweaters and other items of clothing not only smell pleasant, but are also protected from moths.
Soothing bath additives
Saint herb can also be used to make bath additives that smell pleasantly spicy and have a beneficial effect on the skin.
Tips for collecting and drying
During the flowering period, holy herb is particularly spicy and somewhat bitter. If you want to use the leaves as a herb in the kitchen, it is better to collect them before they bloom.
When it comes to flowers, however, the strong aroma is used to combat pests of all kinds.
Cut the flowers from June and either place them in a vase or hang them to dry.
Dried can be used all year round
Sacred herb flowers and leaves can be dried all year round.
Collect the plant parts on a morning that is as dry as possible. The flowers are bundled into bouquets and hung upside down to dry in an airy but not directly sunny place.
The leaves can be dried in the oven at very low temperatures or in an airy place. They are then stored in a dark glass.
Tip
In France, the saint's herb is called “Garde-robe”, translated as “guarding clothes”. The herb can be found in almost all wardrobes there as a biological moth repellent.
