Hyssop isopinocamphone essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the leaves of the botanical species Hyssopus officinalis, belonging to the Labiatae family.
It is a herbaceous plant native to southern Europe, the Middle East, and the shores of the Caspian Sea. It is used as an aromatic herb and as a medicinal product due to its antitussive, expectorant and antiseptic properties.
The swab has a height of 30 to 60 cm. The stem lignifies at the base, from which numerous very straight branches sprout, hairy at the distal end. The leaves are opposite, entire, linear to lanceolate, sessile or barely petiolate, glandular, sometimes pubescent on both sides, dark green and about 2 to 2.5 cm long.
In summer it produces inflorescences in the form of dense terminal spikes of very fragrant blue flowers; they give rise to a fruit in the form of an oblong achene.
It is a rustic species that resists droughts well and tolerates both clay-sandy soils, as well as loamy and calcareous soils, provided they have good drainage. It requires a lot of sun and warm weather.
It can reproduce by seed between mid-autumn and early spring, planting first in seedlings and then transplanting about 70 x 60 cm apart between plants, by simple division of existing bushes, or by stakes; For the latter, branches already lignified and with several buds are separated shortly before flowering, planting them in well-fertilized and humid beds until they produce roots. Once developed, the outer buds can be transplanted to their final location.
Hyssopus officinalis is produced in the months of September and October.