Cunila origanoides

American Dittany or Wild Oregano is a US native that makes an interesting addition to the herb garden. It has pleasantly aromatic leaves that can be used to make tea; it has long been used in folk medicine to treat fever and headaches.

The purple flowers are small but much loved by pollinators. Rabbits and deer generally avoid the fragrant foliage.

Easy to grow in dry, rocky soil in part shade. Can be grown in average garden conditions as long as it is not swamped by taller plants.

Zones: 5 to 8

Family: Lamiaceae

Type: Perennial

Height: 9 to 18 in.

Spread: 9 to 18 in.

Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade

Soil Conditions: Dry to Medium

Bloom Time: July to September

Bloom Color: Lavender

Native Range: Texas to the west and south, Illinois and New York to the north, and North Carolina to the east

Image Credits:

Fritzflohrreynolds, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons