It is native to southern and southeastern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

In the modern cladistic era of botany, Satureja was redefined to a narrower monophyletic genus whose species are all native to Eurasia.

The leaves are 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) long, with flowers forming in whorls on the stem, white to pale pink-violet.

Savory may be grown purely for ornamental purposes; members of the genus need sun and well-drained soil.

Savory plays an important part in Persian, Armenian, Georgian, Bulgarian and Italian cuisine, particularly when cooking beans.