Winter savory
Satureja montana · Lamiaceae
📷 Kurt Stüber [1] · CC BY-SA 3.0
The gardener's calendar
Winter savory is in full bloom: enjoy it, watch watering in hot weather and let spent flowers feed pollinators before pruning.
ID card
- Foliage
- Evergreen, small dark green linear leaves
- Flowering
- July to September, small white or pale pink flowers
- Mature size
- 30 to 50 cm tall, compact and bushy habit
- Growth
- Moderate to fast
- Hardiness
- Very hardy, tolerates down to -15 °C
- Origin
- Mediterranean region and mountainous areas of Southern Europe
- Soil type
- Well-drained, chalky, poor to average
✓ Taxonomy verifiedSource: AI estimate · hardiness: reliability high.
Expert tips
The key tip
Cut back hard at the end of flowering (September) or in March: keeps the plant compact and regenerates stems for the following years. Skip the fertilizer—poor soil is fine for it.
The common mistake
Harvesting leaves year-round without allowing winter rest: the plant exhausts itself and dies back.
The pro's trick
Harvest mainly May-July, then let the plant rest August-September to prepare for winter.
Care
Sunlight
Mountain savory requires a sunny spot (minimum 6 to 8 hours) to develop harmoniously and produce optimal fragrant foliage. It tolerates shade poorly and risks becoming spindly in insufficient light. Choose an airy location where air can circulate well.
Watering
Water moderately after planting, then reduce watering once established. Mountain savory tolerates drought very well and only needs regular watering during periods of intense heat. Let the soil dry between waterings to prevent root rot.
Soil and drainage
Well-drained soil is essential: excess moisture is fatal to this Mediterranean plant. Prefer a gravelly, chalky or neutral substrate, poor in organic matter. Improve drainage by adding sand or gravel if the soil is too compact.
Pruning and harvesting
Prune lightly after flowering (September-October) to maintain a compact, bushy habit. You can also harvest young stems regularly during the growing season: this stimulates branching. Avoid cutting into old bare wood, as it recovers poorly.
Fertilizer
No fertilizer is needed: mountain savory prefers poor soils. Soil that is too rich encourages excessive growth and reduces the concentration of aromatic essential oils. A very modest compost application in spring is enough if the soil is particularly depleted.
Diseases and pests
This plant is very resistant to diseases and pests. The only risks come from excessive moisture (root rot, powdery mildew). Ensure good ventilation and optimal drainage to prevent any fungal problems.
Did you know?
Mountain savory has been used since antiquity for its culinary and medicinal properties: the Greeks and Romans already used it to season dishes and relieve digestive troubles. In France, it is one of the essential herbs of Mediterranean cuisine, particularly in Provence, where it features in dried herb blends.
Where to buy it
Plant in spring or early autumn, avoiding spells of intense heat. Pick a plant with healthy foliage and roots that are not exposed. Best time: March, April, May, September.
Add this plant to my garden →Plants from the same family
- ThymeThymus vulgaris
- LavenderLavandula angustifolia
- BasilOcimum basilicum
- SageSalvia officinalis
- RosemarySalvia rosmarinus
- BugleAjuga reptans
Tips generated and checked by Viridia — adapt them to your local climate.