Southernwood (Cola Plant)

Category: medicinal-herbs

Growing

  • 📍 Zone: 4-9
  • 🌞 Sun: Full sun
  • 💧 Water: Low to moderate; drought-tolerant once established
  • 🌱 Soil: Well-drained, sandy or gravelly soil; does not tolerate wet or heavy soils

Planting

  • 📏 Height: 3-5 feet
  • 📏 Spacing: 18-24 inches apart
  • 📅 When To Plant: Spring after last frost, or fall in mild climates
  • 🌱 Propagation: Softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings, division, or seeds (cuttings preferred for true type)
  • ⬇️ Depth: Plant at same depth as in nursery pot; seeds require light covering (~1/8 inch)
  • 🤝 Companion:
    • 0: Roses
    • 1: Lavender
    • 2: Sage
  • 🚫 Avoid Planting Near:

    Care & Maintenance

    • ✂️ Pruning: Prune regularly to maintain bushy shape and encourage fresh growth; cut back hard in spring to rejuvenate
    • 🪢 Staking Or Support: Not typically needed
    • ❄️ Overwintering: Hardy in its zones; mulch around the base in colder areas to protect roots

    Harvesting & Usage

    • ⏰ When To Harvest: Harvest leaves and stems anytime during the growing season, ideally before flowering for best aroma
    • ✋ How To Harvest: Snip young stems and leaves with sharp shears; avoid harvesting more than one-third at a time
    • 🥫 Preservation: Dry stems in small bundles in a warm, airy place; store dried leaves in sealed containers away from light and moisture
    • ⚠️ Edible Or Toxic: Generally not considered edible in culinary amounts; bitter and aromatic; avoid large internal doses as it may be mildly toxic
    • 🍴 Culinary: Rarely used in modern cooking; historically used sparingly to flavor meats and stews or as a bitter tonic
    • 💊 Medicinal:
      • Digestive Aid: Traditionally used in small doses as a bitter tonic to stimulate appetite and digestion.
      • Anti- Parasitic: Historically employed as a vermifuge (to expel intestinal worms).
      • Respiratory Support: Used in folk medicine as an infusion or inhalation for coughs and congestion.
      • Skin & External Use: Infused in vinegar or alcohol for use as a rub to deter lice and as a wound wash.
    • 🌸 Aromatic: Strongly aromatic with a scent reminiscent of cola or lemon; used in potpourri, sachets, and insect-repellent bundles

    Ecological Info

    • 🐝 Pollinators:
      • 0: Bees (minor attraction)
      • 1: Beneficial predatory insects
    • 🦌 Wildlife Resistance: Highly resistant to deer and rabbits due to strong aroma