Dittany of Crete

Did you know

• Ancient Greeks believed wild goats wounded by arrows would seek out dittany to rub against the wound, causing the arrow to fall out — Aristotle recorded this belief.
• It is endemic to the mountainous regions of Crete and has been celebrated since antiquity; Hippocrates used it to treat wounds and stomach ailments.
• Dante mentions dittany in the Aeneid as a miraculous wound-healing herb used by Venus to heal Aeneas during the Trojan War.
• The entire plant is covered in thick, woolly white hairs that protect it from the intense sun and drought of its cliff-face habitat.
• It has been used for centuries in Cretan herbal liqueurs and is still harvested (sustainably) from wild cliff faces by experienced collectors.

Color meanings

Uses

• medicinal
• culinary
• ornamental