Sweet Marjoram

Sweet Marjoram is a delicately flavoured cousin or Oregano. It has mild pine and citrus flavours. It is native of North Africa, the Mediterranean region and South-Eastern Asia. Although it is a herbaceous perennial, it is treated by most as an annual due to its sensitivity to frost and cold temperatures. It like a sunny well drained position, and regular watering. It can grow up to 50cm tall, but due to its spreading nature is brilliant to use at the edge of large containers to trail, in hanging baskets, in rockeries and for borders. Excluding the roots, all parts of this plant is edible, even the little white or very pale pink flowers. This herb is great used fresh or dried. In the kitchen, sweet marjoram enhances many dishes, and is deceivingly strong. The tender fresh leaves are great in salads, or mixed with spring veggies. And used fresh or dried goes great in any tomato, pork or beef dishes. It also adds a nice flavour to pizza. When adding this herb to a hot dish, add it in the last 10 minutes of cooking. This herb has many remedy uses. It has been used as a therapy for headaches, toothaches, indigestion, asthma, rheumatism, flatulence, earache, epilepsy, as well as for providing relief from labor pains. The oil extracted from this herb has been used as a healing cream for bruises and sprains. Sweet marjoram is an excellent common tonic, and it has a more potent affect on the nervous system than its close cousin oregano. However pregnant women should not take this herb medicinally.