FAMILY: LAMIACEAE
$50 pesos (small plant)
Looks a bit like marjoram and has a little of marjoram’s sweetness to it, but is of a stronger flavor. Has white flowers and relatively small light blueish-green leaves, growing to a height of about 2 feet. Likes full sun and well-drained soil, but is quite adaptable and easily grown here in Vallarta. In the mint family.
When we first moved the nursery here in Vallarta in 2006, we brought 20 species / varieties of Oregano with us. This is the only oregano that survived and thrived. It is available no where else in Mexico. The oregano plants sold locally are “Greek” oregano or “Cuban” Oregano.
According to Sicilian lore, the flowering tops contain an essential oil with aromatic substances that promote digestion, help to fight the “meteorism,” and are a tonic for the nervous system. They also “free” the respiratory tract and have a mild disinfectant effect.
In other cultures, aside from being used culinarily, oregano was used generally to preserve mummies, as a hair restorative and, in Germany, it was praised as an antidepressant, being referred to as an “herb of good cheer.”
Sicilian oregano is known for its unmistakable taste and aroma. It is a totally unrelated plant to what is sold in Mexico as dried “oregano,” Lippia graveolens, which has a different (but not bad) flavor and to the succulent-leafed, “Cuban Oregano,” which is also sold here.