Marjoram
Origanum majorana
Description
Marjoram belongs to the oregano family, it is a half-hardy perennial that is often grown as an annual. This upright plant, valued for its spicy aroma, it can be herbaceous or subshrubby and can reach as much as half a metre in height.
Stem
The stems are green flecked with red, they become woody towards the base and root easily if they touch the ground.
Leaves
The leaves are oval, oblong, rounded at the tip and with a short leaf stalk. Their colour is pale green.
Flowers
Marjoram flowers may be white or violet, they appear in summer and are gathered in panicles.
Exposure
Marjoram likes to be grown in full sun and in a sheltered position.
Propagation
To obtain new plants, seed can be sown in spring, but it should be borne in mind that germination is slow; the clumps can be divided, again in spring, or in autumn; or cuttings can be taken at the beginning of summer.
Growth
This aromatic plant prefers rich soil, rather dry and well drained. About thirty centimetres should be left between one clump and the next, in autumn the branches should be cut back by two thirds and, in very cold areas, protect the clumps. Marjoram can also be grown in pots.
Harvesting
The young leaves are picked at any time of year, while the flowering tops should be cut shortly before they open, usually between July and September.
Storage
Marjoram leaves can be dried, frozen or steeped in oil and vinegar. The flower heads are dried in the shade, as usual.
Properties
IN THE KITCHEN: This herb is closely related to oregano. To keep its properties intact, it should be eaten raw, after chopping it finely, or added to dishes in the last moments of cooking: it is excellent with meat, in stuffings and in stews.
Beauty
A decoction of marjoram flower heads gives bathwater a sweet scent; a few drops of essential oil sprinkled on the pillow help one to sleep, a great ally of beauty.
Health
An infusion of this herb is excellent in cases of difficult digestion, against abdominal pains and neuralgia. To treat coughs and colds it is used by inhalation or in fumigations.
Curiosity
The Greeks considered marjoram a gift from Aphrodite and therefore associated it with the idea of happiness. From the Middle Ages onwards it was always grown in European kitchen gardens; it seems that its leaves, rubbed on wooden furniture and floors, make them particularly shiny; leaves and flowers enclosed in scented sachets delicately perfume the linen.