10/08/2026
We have Mexican oregano!
If you cook Mexican food at home, you must grow some true Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens). It gets confusing because there are several plants called “Mexican oregano” but this IS the real one. Growing into a shrub about 3-6’ tall, this plant is semi-deciduous, it can get frozen back (cut back and keep watered if this happens). Full sun, moderate water. Plant is root hardy to 20°F.
The flavor has notes of lemon and camphor, which adds a complexity to sauces; Mexican oregano has undertones that seem to be a more natural fit with Mexican cuisine. Flowers attract butterflies and other nectar-seeking insects. Larval host for some moth species. This is not the same as European oregano (Greek, Italian, etc. which we also have for sale). Mexican oregano is generally thought to be much stronger-flavored, with more zesty, lemony and camphor notes, while Greek and Italian oregano are more peppery. They’re also in entirely different families: Mexican oregano is on the Verbenaceae, while European oreganos are in the mint family, in the genus Origanum.
Mexican oregano is native to desert areas, chaparral communities, slopes and hillsides—rare in Texas, reputed in New Mexico, and south through most of Mexico.
