Indeed, it is called oregano in the USA, and the two are often confused. Buy fresh marjoram substitute from supermarkets and garden centres. Dried marjoram, used sparingly, is an acceptable substitute for fresh. Keep fresh marjoram refrigerated for up to five days.

Marjoram is popular in Mediterranean and North American cookery. Add to vegetables, tomato-based dishes, stuffings, forcemeats, sausages, preserved meats, game, poultry and pulses. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Marjoram is a perennial herb in the mint family that grows wild in the Mediterranean region. It is used primarily as seasoning in cooked dishes but is also found in beauty and health care products.

Often mistaken for oregano, marjoram is frequently called by many different names, including sweet marjoram, knotted marjoram, joy of the mountains, and wintersweet. Despite the many similarities, they are not the same plant. Oregano is a hardy perennial that is taller than the more cold-sensitive marjoram. Marjoram also prefers a moister soil. In Greek and Roman culture, the herb symbolized wealth and happiness and was often used to make wreaths. I just started using a new skincare routine which has marjoram essential oil in it and I love it! I had no idea before I came across this skincare line that marjoram has value for skincare.

Marjoram is used as a treatment for insomnia and stress. Tea made from marjoram might ease nausea. Marjoram is occasionally mistaken for oregano because they taste similar. The essential oils of the marjoram plant are used in aromatherapy. Rustic French chicken stew with marjoram and black olives. Subscribe to our newsletter and learn something new every day. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title.

Marjoram is related to Samhain, the Celtic pagan holiday that would eventually become Halloween. It has also been used in Sephardi Jewish tradition as a ritual medical practice. Today, marjoram is used largely for consumption. Its popularity may be due to the rise of low-fat and low-salt diets, which require more seasoning. Leaves are smooth, simple, petiolated, ovate to oblong-ovate, 0.