Horehound
Marrubium vulgare
Family Lamiaceae
Before the cough drop aisle existed, there was horehound — a silver-woolly herb whose bitter, aromatic leaves flavored the original old-fashioned candy and cough syrups, and still do for anyone who makes their own. The plant itself is a soft pewter mound that looks good doing it.
Give it your worst spot — hot, dry, poor — and it thrives where nearly nothing else will, feeding bees from modest summer flowers while deer pass it by. Expect volunteer seedlings; it likes to stay. Every working herb garden deserves one historic bitter, and this is the one.
Full Sun
Drought-tolerant · low water
Moderate growth
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing horehound? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries horehound — Marrubium vulgare, print Nº 237, “Horehound.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what horehound actually needs.
Hardy inZones 3-9Horehound · Common problems
Common horehound problems
Pests
2 problems on file
- Almost none — pest-repellent
- deer-proof
Diseases
1 problem on file
- Almost none
Horehound · Growing & propagation
Growing horehound
- Light
- Full Sun
- Water
- Very low
Drought-proof; thrives in poor dry soil
Soil- Lean, sharp drainage · pH 6.0 - 7.5
Fertilizer- None
Pruning- Shear after bloom; deadhead to limit self-sowing
The old-time cough-remedy herb — its intensely bitter, aromatic, wooly gray leaves make the traditional horehound candy and cough syrup and a digestive bitter tonic tea. A tough, drought-proof mint-family plant for hot, dry, poor soil, with silvery foliage and bee-visited flowers. It self-sows readily (can naturalize/weed), so deadhead unless you want a colony. A useful, historic medicinal for the herb garden.
Spacing- 12-18 in
How to plant & propagate horehound
- Propagate
- Division or seed
Horehound · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Horehound · Yearly calendar
The horehound year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
BloomBloomJune to August
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Horehound · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Marrubium vulgare
Horehound in the garden system
- Herbaceous layer perennial
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Bees
Moisture- Upland / dry
Deer- Browsed
Protect young plants
Origin- Introduced
What horehound is grown for
✓ Commonly eatenSafe as the traditional candy/tea in moderation; very bitter
Traditional use- Cough candy/syrup
- Traditional use
- Bitter tonic
- Use
- Drought herb
- Use
- Deer-proof
- Edible value
- 3/5
- Traditional use rating
- 3/5 in herbal tradition
Harvesting & storing horehound
Bitter aromatic leaves — the classic horehound cough-drop/candy herb, and a bitter tonic tea.
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Horehound · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a horehound variety
Species; 'Pompon' (ornamental whorls)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
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Horehound
Marrubium vulgare
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Marrubium vulgare
- Plant family
- Lamiaceae
- Growth habit
- Perennial
- Origin
- Introduced
- USDA plant symbol
- MAVU
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend.
Questions
Horehound questions, answered straight.
Is horehound safe for kids and pets?
Horehound is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: Safe as the traditional candy/tea in moderation; very bitter. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
When do you harvest horehound?
Bitter aromatic leaves — the classic horehound cough-drop/candy herb, and a bitter tonic tea.
How do you propagate horehound?
Division or seed.
Elsewhere
Where horehound sits in the library.
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Rosemary
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