There really are the strangest plants. This includes, for example, the cola herb. Read here why it is called that and how it is planted.
Just hearing its name, the spice shrub, which grows up to 1.5 meters high, quickly attracts a great deal of attention from gardeners. Not only does this herb smell like cola, it tastes like it too. Is it any wonder that the cola herb is becoming more and more popular in German gardens.
The robust and easy-care perennial, which comes with pretty yellow flowers in summer, can even be used many times. For example, the digestive Cola herb contains an essential oil, which can have a healing effect on skin diseases as well as rheumatism and gout. Just ask your alternative practitioner how you can best use this herb against rheumatism, gout and skin diseases.
So that you always have the cola herb at home, we would now like to explain how the perennial can be planted and used.
Plant Cola Herb
The Mediterranean cola herb loves full sun and therefore also tolerates dry, albeit humus-rich to calcareous soils. However, it is best to enrich the soil with compost every year.
Hint:
Cola herb can even be used to create a plant hedge, as you can easily cut the perennial into shape.
You can plant the cola herb, which is also often referred to as southernwood, outdoors in early spring (from April). It is up to you whether you buy young plants from a specialist shop and use them directly in the garden bed, or grow the herb yourself from seeds.
Care for cola herb properly
» pruning:
The perennial, hardy cola herb starts blooming in July each year, with light and loose blooms lasting well into fall. In late autumn, you should then cut back the perennial intensively so that it can sprout voluminously again in the coming spring.
» watering/fertilizing:
Furthermore, you only have to water the cola herb during longer periods of drought. However, you should urgently avoid waterlogging. And a fertilization isOnly necessary if necessary.
» Overwintering:
An extra protection in the winter months is not necessary. However, you can pile the plant with leaves or with autumn leaves, the rotting of which provides excellent nutrients.
Use of Cola Herb
You can harvest the cola herb every autumn and use it at any time as a meat and fish spice. But this herb can also be used to refine salads or in herb quark and sauces. It is also often used as an additive in herbal teas to significantly improve their taste.
Important:
You should always use or consume only the leaf tips of the cola herb, because the entire leaf tastes extremely bitter.