What is the difference between marjoram and oregano

Plants belonging to this family are easily recognized by their square stems and opposing pairs of leaves. They also have whorled flower spikes. Many of the familiar culinary herbs are from this family: mint, basil, oregano and sage.

Marjoram and oregano are similar in appearance. Oregano tends to get leggier and more sprawling if left unclipped. Because of its more compact habit marjoram was and is often used in English knot gardens. The flower buds at the end of the stems are covered with modified leaves called bracts which gives them the appearance, until they blossom, of tiny green pine cones. Flowers appear in summer and will last well into the fall.

Oregano usually has pinkish purple flowers, marjoram usually has white blossoms. The shape and color of the leaves differ between oregano and marjoram, as well as among the different varieties. In my garden I even grow a golden-leafed, ground cover variety of oregano: O. In general, the leaves of marjoram tend to be softer in color, more gray green, and smaller in size. All the leaves are oval to spade shaped.

The texture of the leaves in the oreganos is usually more coarse and fuzzy, such as the Cuban oregano. Although oregano is considered to be a perennial herb, marjoram's more delicate character has it classified as a summer annual in most regions. Both enjoy bright sunlight and are not too fussy about soil type. Their moisture needs differ. Marjoram prefers to be in soil that is moist whereas oregano prefers drier conditions. Start both herbs either from seed in spring, from cuttings in the summer or root divisions in the fall.

Growing them in pots works well, given plenty of light. Try putting together a pot of Mediterranean herbs to keep near at hand in the kitchen. It is very decorative as they grow and blossom, and handy for a quick, fresh addition to whatever is cooking. I find that if the herbs are right there I will tend to use them more often, and in new ways. Rosemary, sage and thyme work well together in pots along with oregano -- they all like the same moisture level, and they are often used together in cooking.

Whether planted in pots or the ground, be sure to keep the flower buds pinched back to keep them from getting rangy and going to seed. Buy them only from reputable seed merchants you trust and in all likelihood you will get what you have asked for.

Don't buy from companies which don't have a horticultural heritage and only buy from seed merchants you trust. In practical terms, both oregano and marjoram are perennials but marjoram is a more tender plant compared to oregano. Marjoram may well die if exposed to frosts for any length of time so is often grown anew every year. Both prefer warm climates with free-draining soils although oregano prefers a drier soil compared to marjoram.

Because of the similarities between the two herbs some seed merchants do not distinguish, or blur the boundaries, between the two and those are companies to avoid. The naming conventions used over the last two hundred years have changed and this is perhaps the key reason why oregano and marjoram are so often confused. Oregano is typically used to flavour food which already has strong flavours. Pizza, pasta and tomato sauces are probably the most famous recipes in which oregano plays an important role but it is widely used in many other Italian, Greek and Mexican dishes including chillies.

A teaspoon of dried oregano has only six calories in it and 0. The key flavour in oregano comes from the chemical carvacrol however there are many other chemicals in oregano which give it its distinctive taste.

The proportions differ depending not only on the variety being grown but also in the soil and weather conditions. Some people compare the flavour of oregano and marjoram to that of thyme and there is more than a little truth in this. The information is always anonymous. Click to read the privacy policy Google, Inc. In this section you will find information about cookies that can be generated using this web service.

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