Though the profuse bell-shaped, yellow flowers that adorn the lengthy, twisted vines of Carolina jessamine are truly breathtaking, they conceal a deep, dark secret.They, along with the rest of the plant, are capabl
06.06.2023 - 20:16 / gardenerspath.com / Gretchen Heber
How to Grow Mexican Oregano Lippia graveolensUpon seeing the title of this article, you may be thinking, “What is Mexican oregano? Is it different from “regular” oregano?”
We’re so glad you asked. To start, for purposes of this discussion, we’ll assume you meant “Mediterranean” when you said “regular” in your question above.
That would likely be Origanum vulgare, a member of the mint family that is native to France, Italy, Greece, Israel, Morocco, and Turkey. There are dozens of plants, globally, that have some form of “oregano” in their common names, but we’re thinking you meant O. vulgare.
See our full guide for growing common oregano here.
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In this article, however, we’ll be talking about Lippia graveolens, a plant that is related to verbena and is native to the southwestern US, Mexico, and Central America.
Given its heritage, you won’t be surprised to learn it’s cold tolerant only to about 30°F, thriving year-round outdoors in Zones 9-11.
If temperatures do get down around freezing in warmer zones, the normally evergreen plant may lose its leaves but will likely come roaring back in spring. Elsewhere, it may be grown as an annual, or brought indoors in the winter.
What Is Mexican Oregano?We’ve also seen this plant referred to as scented lippia, oregano cimarrón, Sonoron oregano, hierba dulce, redbrush lippia, scented matgrass, and Puerto Rican oregano.
There are two other plants commonly referred to as “Mexican oregano,” Poliomintha longiflora and Monarda fistulosa var. menthifolia, neither of which are related to L. graveolens.
The plant’s nectar is attractive to bees and butterflies if allowed to flower, and
Though the profuse bell-shaped, yellow flowers that adorn the lengthy, twisted vines of Carolina jessamine are truly breathtaking, they conceal a deep, dark secret.They, along with the rest of the plant, are capabl
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