Mexican oregano

Lippia graveolens

Not an oregano at all but a verbena cousin with more punch; the one pozole wants.

Type: shrub · perennial vegetables, greens and herbs
Hardiness: zones 9 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 5 ft tall, 4 ft wide
Harvest: year-round
From: Texas and Mexico to Nicaragua
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, pollinators.

Native to: Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean, Desert Southwest, Great Plains & Texas. Hardy in zones 9 to 11.

The story

Mexican oregano belongs to the verbena family and tastes brighter and more citrusy than the Mediterranean herb whose name it borrowed. It is the oregano of pozole, of chili powder and of most salsas north and south of the border.

Planting

Full sun, heat and sharply drained soil. Grow it in a pot where winters freeze.

Growing

Water sparingly. Cut it back by a third after flowering to keep it bushy.

Harvest and use

Strip the leaves and dry them; the flavor deepens. Crumble them between your palms straight into the pot. The tiny white flowers bring butterflies and small bees.

What to watch for

Cold, wet soil. It may drop its leaves in a dry or cool spell and leaf out again.

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More perennial vegetables, greens and herbs

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home