Scientific name: Origanum laevigatum ‘Hopley’s Purple’
Synonym: origanum ‘Hopley’s Purple’
Family: LAMIACEAE
Common names: “Marjoram”
Plant Type: Evergreen perennial
Conditions:
Zone: 7-10
Light: Full sun best
Exposure: Sheltered, enjoys lots of heat
Soil: Better in poor soils, rocky gravel
Moisture: Well drained – dry, handles drought
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: H 18-24″ W 30″
Leaf and Stem shape: Loose clump of wiry stems, with small, ovate, purple-flushed aromatic leaves
Flower: Purple heads of tubular pink flowers with deep purple bracts
Maintenance: Low – zero, cut down flowered stems in Fall, doesn’t seed about as much as the straight species
Landscape use: Containers, Mediterranean gardens, cottage and informal gardens, rock and gravel gardens, flower beds and borders
Propagate: By division and basal cuttings
Pests & Disease: Can have root rot in wet / poor drainage
*Deer and rabbit resistant
♥Attracts birds and beneficial insects
Comments: Straight species O. l. ~AGM winner, not the edible herb Origanum vulgare , native to Mediterranean regions
Vancouver Island Grows 