About Clinopodium serpyllifolium subsp. fruticosum (L.) Bräuchler
Clinopodium serpyllifolium subsp. fruticosum, with the synonym Micromeria fruticosa, is commonly called white micromeria or white-leaved savory. It is a dwarf evergreen shrub endemic to the eastern Mediterranean. It is found specifically in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel. It grows mainly on rock surfaces in the low Mediterranean region, and is more common on chalk and calcrete rocks than limestone rocks. In the Levant, its white blossoms bloom between July and November. Related species occur in the Balkans. This plant has aromatic leaves that resemble mint. It is most commonly used to make herbal tea via an infusion of its mint-flavored leaves. Arabic-speaking people in the Hebron area often flavor dried figs (called quṭṭēn in Arabic) by laying the figs out to dry on large stone slabs covered in crushed leaves and stems of this plant. This practice is also thought to take advantage of the plant's anti-fungal properties. The ideal time to forage this plant is between late January and March. This plant contains a high concentration of the monoterpene essential oil pulegone, along with isomenthol, and is recognized for its medicinal properties. In folk medicine, it has been used to treat a range of ailments including abdominal pains, diarrhoea, eye infections, heart disorders, high blood pressure, weariness, exhaustion, colds, and open wounds. Additional medicinal uses include creating a poultice from boiled leaves to apply to burns and skin infections, drinking a leaf infusion to relieve stomach aches, and gargling with the same infusion to treat bad breath and gum infections.
