Tag: herbs

Cuban Thyme and Marjoram: Two Tasty Herbs to Try

On By durhammastergardenersIn edibles, gardening, gardening in pots, herbs, Uncategorized

By Mebette Eckhardt, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

With warmer temperatures, local plant sales, and bustling nurseries full of plants, the growing season has arrived! Are you in the middle of planning your edibles garden? Extension Master Gardener volunteer Mebette Eckhardt invites to you consider growing two herbs that just might be new to you.

Cuban Thyme and Marjoram: Two Tasty Herbs to Try

Most people know herbs like basil and parsley, but there are other flavorful plants that deserve a spot in your kitchen and garden. Two of these are Cuban thyme and marjoram. Both herbs are easy to grow, packed with flavor, and useful in a wide variety of dishes. Whether you’re a beginner cook or a seasoned gardener, these herbs can add something special to your meals—and your growing space.

Close-up of vibrant green leaves with white edges, showcasing a healthy plant in a sunny environment.

Cuban thyme (Plectranthus amboinicus) with variegated foliage. (Image credit: David J. Stang CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discovering Cuban Thyme at the Farmers Market

Earlier this year, I was volunteering as a master gardener at the South Durham Farmers Market. It was a sunny morning, and I was helping out near a booth filled with seedlings and transplants. One plant stood out to me—it had thick, fuzzy leaves and looked a lot like a coleus. I was curious but skeptical. Could something that ornamental really be edible?

The woman at the booth smiled and said, “That’s Cuban oregano. Some people call it Cuban thyme.” I had never heard of it before, but I decided to give it a try. That plant has since become one of my favorite herbs to use in the kitchen. I now add Cuban thyme to meatballs, meatloaf, and even pasta sauce. Its bold flavor brings a warm, savory taste that makes simple meals feel special.

What Is Cuban Thyme?

Cuban thyme (Plectranthus amboinicus) is also known as Spanish thyme, Mexican mint, or Indian borage. It’s popular in Caribbean, African, and Southeast Asian cooking. The leaves are thick and fleshy, and the aroma is strong—similar to oregano or traditional thyme, but more intense. It’s often used in stews, soups, beans, and meat dishes.

Because Cuban thyme has a powerful flavor, you only need a small amount to make a big impact. It works especially well in slow-cooked meals, where its taste can blend and mellow over time. In addition to cooking, Cuban thyme has been used in traditional medicine to help with coughs, digestion, and skin irritation.

I grow my Cuban thyme in a pot inside my kitchen, where it gets plenty of light and is easy to reach while cooking. It’s also a fantastic propagator—just snip a healthy stem, place it in water or moist soil, and it roots quickly. It’s one of the easiest herbs to multiply and share with friends.

How to Grow Cuban Thyme in Zone 8a

Cuban thyme thrives in warm climates like USDA Zone 8a.

  • Sun: Full sun (6–8 hours daily)
  • Water: Water when the soil feels dry; avoid overwatering
  • Soil: Well-drained soil or potting mix
  • Tip: Grows well in containers and can be brought indoors during cold snaps

Marjoram: A New Favorite in the Garden

Marjoram stood out to me as an herb I knew little about and used infrequently. I wanted to learn more, so I found a plant at a local nursery. It turned out to be a lovely, versatile herb that grows well in my garden, which is mostly clay. Since I planted it, it has flowered over and over again. It seems to love its spot next to the black and bloom salvia in my sunny front yard, and I’ve come to appreciate its gentle flavor and cheerful blooms.1

Lush green herbaceous plants growing densely.

Marjoram (Origanum majorana) grows as a low, bushy herb plant, with oval leaves and soft green texture. (Image credit: Forest & Kim Starr CC BY 2.0)

What Is Marjoram?

Marjoram (Origanum majorana) is a soft, sweet herb related to oregano. It has a gentle flavor with hints of citrus and flowers. Marjoram is popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking and works well in soups, sauces, roasted vegetables, and poultry dishes.

Because marjoram has a light taste, it’s best to add it toward the end of cooking so the flavor doesn’t disappear. It’s also used in herb blends like herbes de Provence and za’atar. Some people make tea with marjoram to help with digestion or to relax.

How to Grow Marjoram in Zone 8a

Marjoram is easy to grow in Zone 8a’s mild climate.

  • Sun: Full sun (at least 6 hours daily)
  • Water: Keep soil lightly moist but not soggy
  • Soil: Well-drained soil with good airflow
  • Tip: Trim often to encourage bushy growth and prevent early flowering

Why Use These Herbs?

Cuban thyme and marjoram are great for different kinds of meals. Cuban thyme is bold and works well in hearty dishes like stews, meats, and pasta sauces. Marjoram is soft and sweet, perfect for lighter meals like vegetables, soups, and chicken.

Both herbs are easy to grow, even in small spaces, and they offer more than just flavor. They’ve been used in traditional remedies and can support wellness in simple ways. Whether you’re cooking dinner or planting your garden, Cuban thyme and marjoram are herbs worth knowing.

Notes

1–When herbs are allowed to flower, they shift from producing tender, aromatic leaves — the part used in cooking — to focusing on reproduction (flowers and seed heads). That change toughens the plant leaf texture and concentrates bitter compounds. It’s the plant’s natural way of completing its life cycle, but for cooks and gardeners, it often means leaves that are less delicate, less aromatic, and far less enjoyable to eat. If you want to extend the period of time you can enjoy your herbs, simply pinch off flowers as they develop to delay this process.

Resources and Additional Information

Read more about marjoram on the NC State Extension’s Plant Toolbox: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/origanum-majorana/

Read more about Cuban thyme on the NC State Extension’s Plant Toolbox: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/plectranthus-amboinicus/

Learn more about Cuban thyme’s growing conditions from the University of Florida IFAS Extension: https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/cuban-oregano/

Here is a helpful guide to growing marjoram from the University of Florida IFAS Extension: https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/pascoco/2024/06/13/spice-up-your-life-a-beginners-guide-to-growing-marjoram/

Herbs can be used in many ways, including as landscaping plants as Clemson Cooperative Extension describes: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/herbs/

Revisit a 2017 post on our blog about growing thyme and oregano: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-Wf

Edited by Astrid Cook-Dail, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

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The Plant Festival Returns on April 6: Join Us!

On By durhammastergardenersIn Backyard Treasures Plant Sale 2024, Garden events, gardening, Gardening information, houseplants, Learn With Us, Natives, ornamental trees, Perennial, Plant Festival, Durham County, trees, Uncategorized

By Deandra Hill, NC State Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Plant Festival

Saturday, April 6, 2024

10:00 am – 1:00 pm

721 Foster Street, Durham, NC

https://www.backyardtreasuresplantsale.org/plant-festival-2024

Tennyson tells us that “In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love.” It is indeed spring, and my thoughts have turned more than lightly to thoughts of the Plant Festival! 

Plant Festival team co-chair Lissa Lutz, excited to meet community partners and members at the inaugural event. (Image credit: Deandra Hill)
 

Actually, co-chairs  of the 2024 Plant Festival team, Wanda Crutchfield, Lissa Lutz, and I, along with many others, have been planning since winter to build on the success of last year’s inaugural event. We had an unexpectedly robust turn out despite having to move the event indoors at the last minute, as we discovered the wind did not intend to leave tents and tables in the same place that we set them!

High winds and rain did not discourage the community from joining us at Foster Street to meet with community partners and fellow Master GardenerSM volunteers to propagate our mission of providing research-based gardening information and advice to the public.

Plant Sale Offerings on Display

The 2024 Plant Festival will feature many of the plants offered the following week at the annual Backyard Treasures Plant Sale on April 13.1 The attendees are able to see the amazing plants our volunteers have been lovingly growing and tending. They are also able to ask experts about veggies and herbs, native plants, perennials, and houseplants and their needs. 

Last year, we partnered with community groups with whom we share similar interests: a number of community gardens, such as Briggs Avenue Community Garden, NC Central’s student garden, and Urban Community AgriNomics (UCAN), founded by former Durham County Extension Director Delphine Sellars. 

Plant Experts and Community Partners Answering Questions

(Left to right) Photos highlight our community partners’ involvement at the 2023 festival. A volunteer from Keep Durham Beautiful discussing composting basics; Durham Beekeepers volunteer delights attendees with information on bees; 4-H volunteers help kids make bouquets. (Image credit: Deandra Hill)

We had groups devoted to conservation, such as the NC Native Plant Society and Keep Durham Beautiful. Durham Beekeepers and Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers showed up to present information on keeping bees and backyard chickens. Not forgetting the children, we had 4-H and Durham Public Schools’ Hub Farm. 

Our volunteers represented the Extension Master GardenerSM program with tables about propagation, container gardening, and our very own demonstration garden, as well as being on hand to answer questions about gardening.

This year, we are lucky to feature many of the same community partners and plant pros at the Festival. In addition, we have experts providing information on veggie container gardening and using “green” pots to help lessen plastic waste.

Plant and Gardening Book Give-a-ways

Who doesn’t love free stuff? Well, at our 2023 inaugural event, the Plant Festival gave away 250 plants that represented the offerings from the Plant Sale, as well as free garden books welcome to anyone who attended! We will be returning again this year with a plant give-a-way and free books while supplies last.2  

This year we will also be offering free trees! We will be distributing 2-year-old oaks trees, locally grown at Panther Creek Forest Farm, in partnership with Keep Durham Beautiful. Durham community members will be able to take home and plant one of these keystone plants that play such a pivotal role in our ecosystem.

(Left to right, top to bottom) Just a few of the many plants that will be part of the Plant Festival give-a-way including tomatoes–several varieties (Solanum lycopersicum L.); paperbush (Edgeworthia chrysanthia); golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum); polka dot begonia (Begonia maculata); basil (Ocimum basilicum), and butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). (Image credit: Master GardenerSM volunteers of Durham County)

Community Representation at the Event

In conjunction with efforts of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, the Plant Festival team has worked diligently to increase the representation of our community partners to include groups that match the faces and demographics that make up our community.

To that end, we reached out to community organizations in the Native American, Black, and Latino communities. We are excited to also be including El Futuro, the Black Farmers’ Market, and NC A&T along with our returning community partners. We may even have a couple more new faces by the time this blog is posted. This work can seem slow, but we have high hopes to keep reaching out and extending our figurative hands to more groups. 

So here’s to a sunny and breezy (but not windy!) day this April 6. We hope to see your smiling face in the crowd. 

To see a full list of plants you will see at the Plant Festival along with a full list of exhibitors and educators who will be there, check out this link:

https://www.backyardtreasuresplantsale.org/plant-festival-2024

Notes

1–For additional information on the upcoming Backyard Treasures Plant Sale on April 13, including photos and lists of plants available for purchase, visit the online site. https://www.backyardtreasuresplantsale.org.

2–The first 250 attendees to the Plant Festival will receive a ticket for a free plant with a time, starting at 11:00 am. Check out all the plant offerings before 11:00 am, and when your time slot comes up, trade your ticket for one of the plants of your choice. Time slots are every 15 minutes between 11:00 and 12:30, and you must be present to claim your plant. One ticket per person, please.

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