MARJORAM

ORIGANUM MAGGIORANA

A perennial herbal plant native to the North of Africa; in Europe and in Italy it is widespread as an aromatic plant. In the cold areas it is cultivated as an annual plant.
It is a perennial plant in the original desert areas, with erect or ascending stems, up to 60 cm tall. Its leaves are opposite, ovate to oblong-ovate, pilose and light green- off-white. Its flowers are violet or pink, carried in small spikes crowded into flat-topped clusters at the top of the stems.
Pick up the leaves and the blooms at the beginning of the blooming. Let them dry in a shaded but aired place.
Marjoram is often employed for cooking to flavour stewed meat, mushrooms, legumes, sauces, tomato salads and so on. It is also used in the preparation of vermouth and herbal liqueurs.
Marjoram scent is sweeter and spicier than that of oregano that is fresher and more pungent.
Health benefits: sedative, antispasmodic, tonic-stimulating, diaphoretic. For external use it is employed for antirheumatic clutches.