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Colour, scent and harvest

Savory: varieties, growing and uses

Savory is a lovely discovery if you already know thyme and oregano. Choose an annual summer plant, a perennial winter shrub or a low creeping form. The difference also affects how you design a herb bed.

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Discover varieties and growth habits ↓
AI illustration of the described characteristics of Creeping savory
AI illustration

This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.

Use
Spicy and peppery. Summer savory is milder than winter savory; use winter leaves sparingly when first tasting them.
Care
Sunny and well drained. Water young plants until they establish; perennial forms do not tolerate constantly wet roots.
Harvest and flowering
Take young shoots for use. Harvest a perennial plant modestly in winter because regrowth is slow then.
Choose what suits your garden

Discover varieties and growth habits

AI illustration of the described characteristics of Summer savory
AI illustration

This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.

Crop type

Summer savory

Satureja hortensis: one summer, milder flavour.

Use: Milder and more refined than winter savory.

Flavour of the species; a separate flavour profile for this variety has not yet been confirmed.View growing and harvesting →Place in my garden
AI illustration of the described characteristics of Winter savory
AI illustration

This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.

Crop type

Winter savory

Satureja montana: a perennial herb shrub.

Use: Stronger, more peppery than the summer form.

Flavour of the species; a separate flavour profile for this variety has not yet been confirmed.View growing and harvesting →Place in my garden
AI illustration of the described characteristics of Creeping savory
AI illustration

This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.

Crop type

Creeping savory

Satureja spicigera: low and broad for a sunny edge.

Use: Savory aroma at group level; no substantiated individual tasting description.

Flavour of the species; a separate flavour profile for this variety has not yet been confirmed.View growing and harvesting →Place in my garden
Inspiration for your space

Choose your way to grow

AI growing illustration: Savory · Sowing summer savory directly
AI illustration

This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.

Sowing summer savory directly
AI growing illustration: Savory · A permanent sunny herb edging
AI illustration

This image was created with AI from described plant characteristics and growing advice. It shows a possible situation and is not a photograph of a verified cultivar.

A permanent sunny herb edging

Sowing summer savory directly

Savory is a lovely discovery if you already know thyme and oregano. Choose an annual summer plant, a perennial winter shrub or a low creeping form. The difference also affects how you design a herb bed.

  1. Prepare a fine seedbed in a sunny, well-drained position.
  2. Sow summer savory at the depth stated on a reliable seed label.
  3. Keep seedlings moist and thin so they do not crowd one another.
  4. Cut modest amounts of young tips once the plant has built sufficient foliage.

For an identifiable harvesting spot with enough room for this growth habit.

A permanent sunny herb edging

Annual forms suit temporary crops or separate pots. Perennial winter forms structure edges for years. Let creeping savory spill over low stone edges, keeping reachable kitchen tips. Choose growth habit for your site first.

  1. Choose winter or creeping savory and reserve space for its growth habit.
  2. Plant in well-drained soil and water to establish roots.
  3. Let winter savory form a small shrub or train a creeping type along the edge.
  4. Trim lightly into green growth and optionally leave some for flowers.

For a second growing position where you can compare shape, scent or harvesting rhythm.

How to create your own herb-growing space

Make a small savory corner beside beans, not for guaranteed pest deterrence but to gather matching herbs at harvest. Prepare two identical small bean portions with different forms of the herb. Use less winter savory initially.

Choose a suitable growing position

Annual forms suit temporary crops or separate pots. Perennial winter forms structure edges for years. Let creeping savory spill over low stone edges, keeping reachable kitchen tips. Choose growth habit for your site first.

From plant to kitchen

Trimming differs from harvesting the whole plant. On perennials, stay within living green growth and locate new shoots. Gradually replace bare-based shrubs rather than hard cutting blindly. Check drainage as a possible decline cause too.

Scent, flavour and use

Spicy and peppery. Summer savory is milder than winter savory; use winter leaves sparingly when first tasting them.

Care, cutting and harvesting

Sunny and well drained. Water young plants until they establish; perennial forms do not tolerate constantly wet roots.

Lightly trim winter savory in mid to late spring, within the green living portion. Summer savory can be cut after flowering for new shoots; this is not fixed spring pruning. Lightly remove old flower stems from creeping savory.

Take young shoots for use. Harvest a perennial plant modestly in winter because regrowth is slow then.

Cutting, caring and following the season

Lightly trim winter savory in mid to late spring, within the green living portion. Summer savory can be cut after flowering for new shoots; this is not fixed spring pruning. Lightly remove old flower stems from creeping savory.

Species information and annual cycle
Space
Recommended spacing is missing. Check the plant label or seed packet; unknown space does not count as free space.
Soil
No pH range supported by sources is included. Test your soil and follow species and variety guidance.
Season
An indicative growth estimate is included; actual development still needs checking.
Care
Guide advice is available; the automatic species task matrix is not yet complete. Check the plant regularly and plan a task yourself if needed.
Growing source 1
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What you need

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Sources and image information

SeedSteps editorial team · checked on 13 October 2026. Flavour descriptions come from the listed sources; ripeness and growing conditions affect flavour. AI images illustrate described characteristics and do not prove cultivar identity.

  1. World Checklist of Vascular Plants — 4 juni 2026Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · 2026-10-07
  2. Herbs – Real Life, Good FoodUniversity of Minnesota Extension · 2026-10-13
  3. Growing herbs in home gardensUniversity of Minnesota Extension · 2026-10-13
  4. How to grow savoryRoyal Horticultural Society · 2026-10-13