FAMILY: LAMIACEAE
$50 pesos (small plant)
SPANISH THYME, CUBAN OREGANO, INDIA BORAGE, MEXICAN MINT, TORBANGUN (Indonesia), AFRIKA-TIEMIE, KRUI-SPOORSALIE (Africa): A highly fragrant, strongly flavored plant used for seasoning and medicine. The taste is unique. It definitely doesn’t look or taste like an oregano or thyme or borage (or the common Coleus, either). It has succulent, slightly hairy, light green leaves up to 6 cm. across.
An easy, rapidly growing potted plant. If planted in the ground it likes full sun and well-drained soil. Tolerates no frost. Grows as a bush rapidly, eventually to almost a meter high.
Originally from south and east Africa. Also called Plectranthus amboinicus. Often found in a variegated form. The species epithet, amboinicus, refers to Ambon Island in Indonesia, where it was apparently encountered and described by João de Loureiro (1717 – 1791).
Traditional medicine has attributed various properties to Cuban oregano and it has been used, for example, to relieve epilepsy attacks, insomnia, as a disinfectant, antifungal and muscle stimulant.
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