What am I smoking?

May 16, 2008 8:45 AM

What herb am I growing? Here's the wide view, the buds, and the leaves.

I was told it's oregano, but now I am not so sure. It smells good, and oregano-ish, but maybe a little more minty than I normally think of for oregano. The flowers that are popping out are whitish, but maybe if I let them go a little longer they would have more color.

posted by mzurer to home & garden (10 comments total)

Marjoram; very closely related to oregano.
posted by vers at 8:51 AM on May 16

It looks like oregano to me. There are a ton of different oregano varieties; your friendly neighborhood herb shop / garden shop might be able to tell you which one you've got.
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:51 AM on May 16

I'd guess marjoram. I'm pretty sure that's in the oregano family-your herb definitely is but is not the same oregano I presently grow.
posted by konolia at 10:02 AM on May 16

Looks like marjoram to me, too. It's a favorite herb of mine- sweeter, a little less pungent than oregano. It's best fresh- the dried gets sort of musty flavored. It's my favorite addition to egg dishes, especially egg salad. Also lovely in salsa.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:05 AM on May 16

FWIW, oregano & marjoram are both in the mint family of plants... so it's not too surprising that a particular variant within those domestic strains smells minty.
posted by IAmBroom at 12:19 PM on May 16

Odd, from those pictures I would've said sage.
Sage photo
posted by Kioki-Silver at 6:01 PM on May 16

oops lets try that again, http://www.herbalthai.com/images/Sage.gif sorry
posted by Kioki-Silver at 6:02 PM on May 16

Looks like a sage or salvia variety to me, from the leaves, but the blossoms don't fit the ones I know.
posted by nax at 2:21 AM on May 17

Salvia and Origanum are both in the Lamiaceae family, so they do share characteristics (opposite leaves is one of them). However, the growth habit in the large picture is not really like culinary sage, which tends to be more mound-like; and neither are the buds. Salvia officinalis is not known for having red stems. I'm growing both marjoram and sage right now, and the picture is definitely an Origanum species.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:07 AM on May 17

golden marjoram to my mind. Got some in my garden.
posted by wilful at 10:58 PM on May 18