Summer Savory

Savory herb nutrition facts

Delicate, pleasantly aromatic savory (summer) is a very popular culinary herb widely used in eastern European and American cuisines. Botanically, this annual herb belongs within the mint family of Lamiaceae, and known scientifically as Satureja hortensis.

The herb is well tolerant of different climatic conditions and requires good sunlight to flourish. It reaches about 40-60 cm in height. Its sister variety, winter-savory, known as Satureja montana, has pungent flavor and hence, less preferred in cooking.

Summer savory with bloom. (Photo courtesy-by cbertel)	Fresh herb-close up view.

The plant bears dark green colored smooth leaves and small purple color flowers. Winter savory has similar growth characters; however, it features more branching; hard and woody stems.

Several wild cultivars exist apart from the garden savory. Satureja douglasii or yerba buena is one of the herbs has been in use by the indigenous Americans of California and Alaskan regions as an herbal tea. Satureja thymbra, is another wild herb that grows in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries and is known for its high carvacrol or thymol content.