Mexican Oregano for your perennial garden

The Velvet Mesquite is a wonderful tree to add to your desert landscaping, not only because it will provide your home with shade, but it makes a great spot to plant perennials and an herb garden, since it willingly shares root space with these plants without competition. While the mesquite is one of our most drought tolerant of trees, it also loves water, so there’s never an issue of over-watering this species.Other perennials besides the Mexican Oregano that thrive under the canopy of our native trees include Culinary Lavender, Catmint, Chives and Parsley. Catmint is a relative of Catnip, but has a minty smell and taste people enjoy as tea, and cats still get a kick from. These plants can be started from seeds or with seedlings.View the list »
The Blue Palo Verde is Arizona’s state tree, and one worthy of your desert landscaping. Like the mesquite, the Blue Palo Verde will do better with irrigation, even though it is drought tolerant. Perennials can thrive under the canopy of this tree, as they do not compete with tree roots. Plant Mexican Oregano under your Blue Palo Verde for a lovely combination of pink and yellow flowers.

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Mexican Oregano, Poliomintha maderensis ‘Lavender Spice’ is a wonderful addition to your Tucson and Green Valley area landscaping, suitable for a perennial and herb garden.

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This lovely shrub with bright green leaves has a very long bloom period, with pink to lavender tubular flowers appearing in the spring through fall. Hummingbirds love this plant, so include this with some penstemon species.

Mexican Oregano prefers filtered or part shade and moderate water to produce the most flowers, although is quite drought tolerant once established. It is quite happy growing underneath our native trees, such as the Velvet Mesquite or Blue Palo Verde. It reaches about 3 feet tall and wide. The leaves are a perfect substitute for oregano in cooking.

Feel free to cut this plant back to make it bushier. The brittle stems are so easy to break off, you do not necessarily need to break out the snippers.

Reference: Mountain States Wholesale Nursery and Gregg Starr Nursery Plant Info Sheet, 1999.

View the list
  • The Blue Palo Verde is Arizona’s state tree, and one worthy of your desert landscaping. Like the mesquite, the Blue Palo Verde will do better with irrigation, even though it is drought tolerant. Perennials can thrive under the canopy of this tree, as they do not compete with tree roots. Plant Mexican Oregano under your Blue Palo Verde for a lovely combination of pink and yellow flowers.
  • Other perennials besides the Mexican Oregano that thrive under the canopy of our native trees include Culinary Lavender, Catmint, Chives and Parsley. Catmint is a relative of Catnip, but has a minty smell and taste people enjoy as tea, and cats still get a kick from. These plants can be started from seeds or with seedlings.
  • The Velvet Mesquite is a wonderful tree to add to your desert landscaping, not only because it will provide your home with shade, but it makes a great spot to plant perennials and an herb garden, since it willingly shares root space with these plants without competition. While the mesquite is one of our most drought tolerant of trees, it also loves water, so there’s never an issue of over-watering this species.
View the list

, Tucson Gardening Examiner

This author has lived in Arizona since 1972 and has been gardening for more than 28 years. A landscape architect and certified arborist, Linda teaches classes for everyone in desert plant care for Green Valley Recreation, and provides services in landscape design. Contact her at Linda...

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