Our favorite herb. It can be used in place of oregano or basil in most recipes and tastes fantastic, very versatile for Italian or Greek cooking! Tender Perennial.
Oregano (Greek) and Sweet Marjoram -- These herbs are in the same family, have similar flavors and are very easy to grow. They both like full sunlight and will get quite large. Oregano creeps along the ground growing up to 6 feet around in a single season. Marjoram grows mostly upright and can be up to 2 feet across and tall. They are both somewhat tender perennials which will probably grow back in Spring in most areas.
To harvest Oregano or Marjoram, trim the branches anywhere and cut off up to third of the plant, and chop the leaves. You can also dry the leaves which gives them a slightly stronger flavor.
To use Oregano and Marjoram in cooking, chop the leaves finely. Sweet Marjoram is a bit stronger than oregano and is used for flavoring meats along with garlic and onions. Oregano is used in many Mexican and Greek dishes as well as on Pizzas and with tomatoes. Both can be used interchangeably in many recipes. Most Italian mixes of spices include both along with Basil and sometimes thyme. These two add dimension to salad dressings and marinades especially when combined with other herbs.
