Cuban oregano is a succulent leaf plant that grow prolifically in Florida. It has a ton of different names including Mexican mint, Indian borage, country borage, Indian mint, broad leaf thyme, soup mint, French thyme, and Spanish thyme. The latin name is coleus amboinicus.
The Cuban oregano leaves smell like traditional oregano and remind me instantly of pizza. It is edible and can be used as alternative to usually traditional oregano.
The plant is semi-succulent perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae which is the mint and sage family. The Cuban oregano is in good company in Lamiaceae family along with other culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, marjoram, oregano, thyme, and lavender.
Climate for Cuban Oregano
The best choice of climates to have your Cuban oregano growing outdoors is to be in climate that is similar to its native climate in Southern Africa, Indonesia, the Arabian peninsula, and India.
In the United States, the most similar climate to these areas are zones 10 and 11 which are in Florida, Texas, California, and Arizona.
Cuban oregano seems to like semi-shade the best in my yard and will grow in native Florida soil which is basically well-draining sandy dirt.
If you do not live in a zones 10 or higher, you can keep the plant inside and have it as houseplant. I have a few cut pieces propagating in water and in soil to see which will do better. I am going to all try to grow one indoors as a house plant to see how that goes too.
Cuban Oregano Benefits
There are supposed to be a ton of benefits from using Cuban oregano. According to the Florida School of Holistic Living, Cuban oregano can help with respiratory issues like allergies, asthma, colds, and coughs. I have used steeped in tea to treat stomach upset and for sore throat. See more ways you can use it as herbalist here.
You can also use the leaves to rub on your skin to help repel mosquitos.
Not Pet Friendly
It is said to not be pet friendly. I’ve had it in my yard with dogs for a while, but after doing some reading. I am going to move it out of the area where my dogs frequent. The dogs love to eat things that they are not supposed to. They haven’t messed with the plant yet, but that does not mean they won’t. I don’t want to risk my pets’ health.
Cultivation of Cuban Oregano
This plant is extremely easy to grow and does not need to be babied. It can grow in full sun to semi-shade. I have noticed that if the shade is too much, the plant will get a little leggy as it reaches for the sun.
Cold Sensitive
The plant will die back or die completely in the cold. If you get freezes, this might be best grown in a container that you can bring inside during cold snaps.
Cuban Oregano Recipes
You can use Cuban oregano as a traditional oregano substitute in Italian dishes like Italian wedding soup, Balsamic Chicken, and chicken parm.
Here are some more ideas for how to use your herb:
- Oregano vinaigrette
- Fried Cuban Oregano
- Cuban Oregano Black beans and rice
- Roasted Pork
- Jerk seasoning