Dual purpose plants are a boon to landscapes where gardeners
are looking for vegetation that provides both edible and ornamental
features. I first encountered the Cuban Oregano when I lived in the West
Indies where it was called things like “Thick-Leaved Thyme” or “Big Thyme.”
Also called “Vicks© Salve”, “Vicks© Plant”, “Mexican Mint”, “Indian Borage” and
“Spanish Thyme”, Cuban oregano is a wonderful plant suitable for our
area. Have you seen the Cuban oregano or is it already in your
garden?
Originally from Southern and Eastern Africa, this perennial
plant is noted for its aromatic leaves. The large thick and velvety
leaves are grey-green in color, while the variegated cultivar is edged in white
with an attractive blotchy lighter/darker green interior. Growing upwards
to nineteen inches tall and spreading much wider, the Cuban oregano grows
rapidly and eventually produces stems of purplish flowers. I planted one
rooted cutting of Cuban oregano and it easily filled in a five by five foot
patch of garden over one summer season. Not only does this plant
make a good groundcover in your herb garden, but also is an excellent container
plant when complemented with other herbs.
Grow Cuban oregano in well-drained soil in a semi-shaded
area. This plant does not tolerate frost and will need protection during
cold weather. Once established, this very succulent perennial plant will
need to be watered only sparingly.
Use this herb according to your tastes and needs. The
camphor and menthol scent can be overpowering if used in excess, so carefully
flavor with Cuban oregano. While you may find Cuban oregano at local
garden centers, I find that there are specimens available at almost every
community plant sale - that is where I purchased mine – or just pick up a
cutting or two from a gardening friend. Cuban oregano is a true
pass-along plant that has certainly traveled the world based on its popularity.
So, try to have at least one Cuban oregano plant in your
yard to look at, use in cooking, or simply brush by to release its refreshing
fragrance. Its many uses will make you a fan for life! For
information on all types of herbs easily grown in our area, please call our
Master Gardener volunteers on the Plant Lifeline on Mondays, Wednesdays and
Fridays from 1 to 4 pm at 764-4340 for gardening help and insight into their
role as an Extension volunteer. Don't forget to visit our other County
Plant Clinics in the area. Please check this link for a complete list of
site locations, dates and times - http://charlotte.ifas.ufl.edu/horticulture/Plant%20Clinics%20Schedule.pdf.
Resources:
Gardening Solutions- Cuban Oregano – The University of
Florida Extension Service, IFAS
Jordi, R. (2006) Cuban oregano. The University of
Florida Extension Service, IFAS.
Wikipedia.com (2017) Plectranthus amboinicus.
Can you please give me some tips on how to dry my oregano? It thrives very well in my Malaysian garden and I have yet to learn how to dry and store the leaves for culinary purposes
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ReplyDeleteCuban oregano sounds like such a versatile plant! I love the idea of having something that's both ornamental and edible — it's rare to find plants that serve dual purposes so well. The velvety leaves and the fact that it spreads quickly as groundcover make it perfect for filling empty garden patches. I'm curious about how the camphor scent works in cooking — does it overpower other flavors easily, or is it more subtle than it smells? The variegated version sounds especially beautiful with the white edges. Also, how does it handle container growing compared to in-ground planting? I've been looking for low-maintenance herbs that don't require constant watering, and this seems like a great candidate. If anyone has tips on overwintering it indoors, I'd love to hear them. I came across some interesting gardening discussions on https://kaahauss.com/ that touched on similar herbs, though it's a different type of community.
ReplyDeleteCuban oregano (Plectranthus amboinicus) is such a versatile plant — ornamental, edible, and wonderfully fragrant! For more gardening and herb discussions, check out royalstiger . Have you grown this herb before?
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ReplyDeleteI've grown Cuban oregano before, and it's one of those plants that's both attractive and practical. The fragrant leaves are great to have on hand for cooking, and it spreads quickly enough to fill in empty spaces without much effort. If anyone wants to learn more about growing and using it, spinsy has some helpful information.
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