One Plant – Many Stories
Plants often carry stories alongside scientific and traditional medicinal knowledge. Over generations, people gave herbs names that reflected not only how they used them, but also how they understood the world around them.
Maltese savory (Micromeria microphylla) became known as the “stone-splitter” because earlier generations believed it could help people suffering from kidney or bladder stones. Today, researchers think its traditional reputation may have been linked more to its strong diuretic properties than to physically “breaking” stones.
Some names tell a culinary story. Savory was once called “poor man’s pepper” because, long before imported spices became widely available in Europe, people used aromatic herbs such as savory to add warmth and flavour to food. Its peppery taste made it a valued household herb for generations.
Other names are linked to older myths and beliefs. The Latin name associated with savory, Satureja, has traditionally been connected with satyrs – the half-human, half-goat figures of ancient Greek and Roman mythology associated with nature, vitality, and passion. Because of these associations, savory sometimes acquired names such as “love herb”, “satyr’s herb”, and even “devil’s herb”. According to historical traditions, some monasteries were said to discourage its cultivation because of its reputation for stimulating desire and strong emotions.
Maltese savory also tells a local Mediterranean story. Small aromatic herbs growing naturally among limestone landscapes formed part of everyday life for earlier generations. People gathered wild plants, prepared simple infusions, learned from neighbours and older family members, and relied on local knowledge passed from one generation to the next. As one Maltese participant reflected during the project:
“In the past, the farmer used to be the pharmacist.”
Today, many people walk past plants such as Maltese savory without noticing them. Yet hidden among the rocks is a tiny plant carrying centuries of observation, cultural traditions, food practices, herbal knowledge, and stories – reminding us that nature is not simply something around us, but something people once knew deeply.
