Plant Library

Group/Class:  Ornamental

Description:

A beautiful low maintenance variety ideal for hanging baskets and window sills; low growing and aromatic, this cascading choice features large purple bracts with lavender colored flowers and attractive light green foliage; non-culinary oregano

Ornamental Features

Ornamental Oregano has masses of beautiful nodding lavender hop-like flowers with rose overtones and purple bracts at the ends of the stems from early summer to early fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its small fragrant heart-shaped leaves remain green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Ornamental Oregano is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with a mounded form. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and may require the occasional pruning to look its best. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Ornamental Oregano is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Ornamental Oregano will grow to be about 10 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 14 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Ornamental Oregano is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.