Sideritis
It belongs to the genus Sideritis, in the family Lamiaceae. We cultivate Sideritis scardica.
The genus includes over 100 species that are mainly found in the Mediterranean countries, the Canary Islands and North Asia.
It is a herbaceous, perennial plant; we also find some species which grow annually.
Planting is recommended in two seasons, between October to November and from February to March and the harvest is recommended to take place in in July, when it is fully flowering.
The part of the plant that is collected is the blossoms in full bloom keeping five to six cm of shoots. The quality is proportional to the altitude. As the height increases the quality improves.


Properties
It can be used to protect the gastrointestinal tract,
It has antibacterial, immunomodulatory properties.
It also contains substances that work as antidepressants.
Use
As infusion, it has many beneficial properties, which are due to the components of the essential oil. Organoleptically the drink is delicious and can be consumed hot or cold, plain or in combination with other herbs.