Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana)
Flowers: June to August. Height: 30cm (12in).
Introduced to England in the 14th century. Marjoram has long been prized for its many culinary, medicinal, aromatic uses and as a strewing herb. Fragrant Marjoram wreaths were used by Greeks for weddings and by Ancient Egyptians to adorn mummies. The Greek goddess Aphrodite was said to gift the herb its scent to remind mortals of her beauty.
Medicinal: It was used for many ailments including measles, digestive and respiratory problems, and even tinnitus and deafness when applied as a tincture to the ears. Richard Banckes’s Herball (1525) described this herb as a relaxant which had “the virtue of comforting, of loosing, of consuming, and of cleansing”. When applied topically, it was thought to ease joint stiffness and pain and was also used to ease the pain of insect bites and stings.
Culinary: Added flavour to meat, poultry, soups and used to flavour sweets and drinks. With a more delicate flavour than its close relation Oregano, the flowers would be used for a relaxing herbal tea.
Magic & Myth: Sweet Marjoram was thought to repel the devil and was strewn on the floor at funerals. It was also used as a charm against witchcraft and thought to keep milk from spoiling during storms.
