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The Cuban Oregano is a shade loving perennial tropical herb that doubles as an ornamental plant. This plant is very easy to grow and pest free, so it is a great choice for beginner gardeners. It is also commonly known as Mexican mint, Spanish thyme, Indian borage, Caribbean oregano, and broadleaf thyme. The species is part of the fragrant Lamiaceae family, which is also known as the mint family. Like many other species it is not completely known where this plant originates. The species has naturalized all throughout the tropics, but it is thought to originate in Southern and Eastern Africa. It was later introduced to other parts of the world during colonial times. Now it is used by people throughout the Americas, Asia, and Africa.
Cuban oregano can tolerate shady areas and can actually produce larger leaves when grown in the shade. If grown in full sun, the leaves will be smaller but in the shade the length is double that. The plants can produce white, pink, or lavender blossoms. The plant is truly tropical and will die with any freezes so in colder regions it best grown in a pot so that it can be overwintered inside. The plant can do well in a pot, but it will grow more vigorously if planted in the ground. In colder regions it can be grown as an annual and propagated by cuttings that are overwintered indoors.
Propagation
Propagation of Cuban oregano is normally done through green stem cuttings. Take a tip cutting long enough to contain 2 or 3 nodes and then remove all the leaves except for the ones at the very top.
Plant the cutting in soil deep enough to cover all the nodes and the plant should root. Rooting hormone could be used to increase the chances of it rooting, but It is not necessary. You can also root the cuttings in water but it is recommended to just plant it directly into soil.
If propagation through stem cuttings is not working then perhaps one can try burying some of the nodes while the stem is still attached to the plant; so that once it roots it can be dug up, cut from the plant, and transplanted. The plant does produce viable seeds, however, stem cuttings are the preferred way of propagation since seed production is not consistent.
Uses
When searching for the uses of an herb, there tends to be more than anyone can count and this is the case with the Cuban oregano. It is used both as a cooking and medicinal herb. The taste and smell is very strong and it is used to replace traditional oregano and sage in recipes. In its raw form it can be too overpowering, so we personally mainly use it to season beans and soups. Despite the taste, my father enjoys eating the leaves whole on crackers as if they were fresh basil leaves. We also boil it in water to make a tea of mild taste that is said to alleviate a cough.
Some people rub the leaves on the skin to repel insects. Cubans use the tea to cure digestive disorders, respiratory problems and arthritis. In parts of Asia the leaves are also believed to improve breast milk production and is given to mothers after giving birth. Whereas in Haiti the leaves are fried so the leaf oil can be extracted to rub onto the chest for treating bronchitis. How well this plant works for these uses is not certain but it doesn’t hurt to try some of these remedies.
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