Delicious peppery flavor that is popular in beans and many other dishes; also has reported medicinal uses. Summer savory is an annual, not to be confused with its cousin winter savory, a perennial. Summer savory can be grown in containers or the garden; it likes the same rich, well-drained soil as tomatoes, and makes a good companion to this vegetable in the garden; however, it also thrives alongside beans in leaner soil. Very fast-growing, summer savory reaches about 18 inches high and up to 30 inches wide, with long, wiry upright stems bearing small, needle-like dark green leaves up to 4 inches long. Whorls of lilac-purple flowers appear in summer, and the plant may need staking if not pruned smaller. Cut the stems as needed for use in the kitchen; this will keep them shorter, prevent flowering (which diminishes the flavor of the leaves), and encourage new growth. Contains 100 heirloom seeds
