PlantFiles: Ornamental Oregano
Origanum rotundifolium 'Kent Beauty'

Kent Beauty grows easily but not rampantly in my Central CA, zone 9 garden.

I dry sprigs of its flowers in a small vase for a spring-like arrangement all year long. The color darkens ever so slightly as it dries, but remails soft and fresh for months if kept out of direct sun. The bracts do not shrivel and are delicate and papery.

We have several of these in our perennial garden here in Northern Idaho and they do very well.

This Spring, I separated one and planted it on the edge of our fish pond and it just exploded in size.

This is a very lovely and hardy plant.

Doug
http://www.theruralindependent.com

Regions with high humidity can treat it as a spring annual which will put on a gorgeous show as a container plant. Combine with hot summer blooming plants to cover it's scraggily summer appearance but do not remove and it is a beauty again in the fall. Makes a nice cool weather plant if you live in a region with high humidity and also combines nicely with nasturtiums and pansies.

This plant was featured in a garden magazine a few years ago, and I had watched for its arrival in our local nurseries ever since, but nothing. Much to my surprise, this year it showed itself at our local Home Depot centers, after I had already potted my summer planters. However, I did buy one for myself and one for a friend who also was watching for it. When I did some further research, I was happily surprised to read that it was possible to grow as a perennial here, so into the ground it went! I'm so anxious to see if it survives this winter, although I recognize I didn't give it a very fair chance: I planted it in an area that will likely be wet with piled up winter snow. It shows new growth at the base, so I'm hopeful it has enough drainage to make it.

My plant didnt last even a year in Atlanta, GA. I guess the heat and rain in Atlanta was too much for it.

I have planted this for 2 years in pots in the Pocono Mts, Pa. I have not tried to winter it over yet and will try this year. It has been beautiful both years despite 2 different weather years. This is a gorgeous plant that needs to have a spot to hang a bit. This year I planted 2 pots, one that was in the open and one that was protected by an overhang. The one in the open got bigger leaves and matured much quicker from the natural rain, the one under the underhang was in a shallow pot and had to be watched for water but was not left go to dry and it was smaller and weaker looking in comparison, but still nice.

It came back extremely well for me in my zone 5b garden. I did nothing to protect it. The flowers are like the Dittany of Crete variety, but hardier. I'm glad to have this beautiful plant as a perennial instead of an annual.

I have it in a couple of places, dangling over a wall in full sun and well drained soil. Both have come back after our hard winter. It is strikingly pretty, in a delicate looking way, but is a tough plant that needs nothing but sun.

What a beauty! And very fragrant too! Last year I got a couple by mistake from Wayside Gardens (they were supposed to send me my miscanthus) and when I called the company they said to just keep them, and they'll send the miscanthus. They did send the miscanthus btw.
What a surprising treat for me to discover this lovely "annual !" It is everchanging here, and beautiful. Not your usual annual. I call it annual, but I will try overwintering and bringing some in the house for the winter. I was so amazed at this plant that I bought more this year!

Plant over-winters well in zone 5a/5b (Spangle, WA) inside a un-heated greenhouse. This past winter, record snow fall prevented me from lightly watering plant so plant completely dried out and doesn't appear to be coming back. However...I discovered seeds!! There are seedlings (similar to lavender seed) that sprouted next to the dead plant and several seeds were still on the plant. We are attempting to start the seeds in trays and hoping the starts come out as true Kent Beauty ornamental oregano.

I am neutral right now. This is my second attempt at this plant. The first one didn't survive. I am near the north Georgia Mountains. I bought several plants last year on line and planted some outside and potted some to take inside. I wanted to see if it would survive this last attempt. So far, those I planted outside are coming back. I see no sign of the plants I put in the clay pot and took inside when it got really cold. More later as it progresses.

I love the beauty of the plant is the reason I have tried again.

It is a Beauty!! Though i never had luck growing it. I guess its just one of those personal "Impossible" plants for me. You know the ones everyone else can grow but me. lol. I sure wish i could! Ive tried one every year for the last 5 years, all in different places. I had to add some sand and potting soil in a large hole as i have clay soil. It still didnt work. Ive admired it so much! Im jealous of those who can grow it. I live in zone 5/6 in MA.

This is an absolutely lovely plant with delicate greens, creams and lavenders. It overwintered very nicely in my 5a garden last year.

We love this plant although it is difficult to find in this area-
Kenosha, Wisconsin. It is a great container plant and thrives
in sun to semi-shade areas. Be prepared to be surprised at
what a nice complimentary plant this will be in your containers.

Love this plant. It is gorgeous. I just acquired it this spring so will have to come back and finish this after trying it this winter.

Jeanette

In my zone 8B it survives without any problem...even our extreme cold winter 2002/2003. Temps went down to -20C ! It has a sheltered place..but it 's still a little tough one.

Ornamental oregano, trailing habit, slow growing, needs VERY well drained soil.