Mexican oregano is a fragrant herb used in traditional Mexican cooking and herbal tea. It attracts pollinators and can be grown outdoors in warm climates or in containers in colder areas. It requires little water or fertilizer and can be harvested year-round for culinary use.
Mexican oregano is a culinary herb native to Mexico. While it tastes similar to regular oregano, the two types are unrelated. The fragrant leaves are used in traditional Mexican cooking where they impart a strong earthy flavor. Traditionally, the leaves were made into an herbal tea used to treat minor respiratory problems. In the garden, this fragrant herb attracts butterflies and other pollinators with fragrant white flowers.
Although they share the same name and impart a similar flavor when used in cooking, Mexican and common oregano are not related. Mexican oregano belongs to the plant family Verbenaceae while common oregano belongs to the mint family. Mexican oregano occurs under the species name Lippia graveolens, while the common oregano species is Origanum vulgare.
Originally from Mexico, this oregano species is a frost-sensitive plant. It can be grown outdoors year-round in areas where winter temperatures rarely dip below 20 to 30°F (about -6 to -1°C). In colder climates, this oregano can be grown in a container and kept indoors or in a greenhouse for the winter. When overwintering plants indoors, they should be kept at 50°F (about 10°C).
Mexican oregano, whether planted in the ground or in a pot, grows best when it gets six or more hours of sun a day. It doesn’t require much water or fertilizer to grow well. In pots, the soil can be allowed to dry out slightly between waterings. When planted in the garden, this drought tolerant herb will only require water during periods of excessive heat and dry weather.
Delicate, fragrant white flowers bloom year-round in frost-free climates and on greenhouse-grown plants. The flowers are a rich source of nectar for butterflies, bees and other pollinating insects. Birds are attracted to the nutritious seeds and numerous wildlife nest in the large shrubs making this fragrant plant a good candidate for a wildlife garden.
The leaves can be harvested year-round for use in traditional Mexican dishes and any culinary creation where a strong earthy oregano flavor is desired. It enhances meat, fish and tomato sauce dishes and can be used where recipes call for the herb-like Mexican epazote. The leaves can be used fresh from the plant or dried and stored for later use.
As an herbal tea, Mexican oregano is said to help relieve minor respiratory problems. But you don’t need to suffer from an ailment to enjoy the rich flavor of this tea. The preparation is simple: all you need is boiling water and a spoonful of dried or fresh herbs.
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