Origanum majorana, Majorana hortensis. A member of the lamiaceae (mint) family.

Marjoram is a tender perennial that grows about a foot tall and is treated as an annual in cold-winter areas. It has a dense, shallow root system and unusually bushy habit. Its square stems branch frequently and are covered with a fuzzy down. Leaves are opposite, ovate, fuzzy, pale gray-green, short stalked, quarter of an inch to an inch long, spicy and aromatic. Flowers in August and September are knotlike before blossoming, tiny white, pink, or yellow, in spherical clusters flower spikes with three to five flowers. Fruits are very small, light brown nutlets.

Use Native to North Africa and Southwest Asia, marjoram has naturalized in the Mediterranean region and is cultivated in North America. It has medicinal, culinary, aromatic and cosmetic, ornamental and craft uses.

Marjoram has a spicy odor with a hint of balsam that can be a mild substitution for oregano. Its leaves and flowers can be used fresh or dry, as an ingredient or garnish. Its delicate flavor can be lost easily in cooking, so is best used in dishes that are not cooked or cooked very little. Cuisines of France, Italy, and Portugal use marjoram extensively. It is especially good with meats, soups, and stuffings. It complements other herbs--bay, garlic, onion, thyme, and basil. Marjoram also makes a sweet-flavored tea.

As an aromatic and cosmetic, marjoram was strewn in homes to freshen the air. The French still put sprigs into hope chests and linen closets. Leaves are added to potpourris and sachets.

Marjoram can be used as an ornamental in hanging baskets indoors in winter. Its large purple flower heads and furry, small leaves make it an addition to winter bouquets. Fresh or dried sprigs can be added to herb wreaths.

Climatic Requirements Marjoram is hardy to zones 9 and 10. According to Simon, Chadwick and Craker the life zone of marjoram is 43 to 82 F.

Propagation and Care Marjoram thrives in full sun in fertile loam soil that is light, dry, and well-drained. It grows in soil with a pH of 4.9 to 8.7 (Simon, Chadwick and Craker).

Seeds are small and slow to germinate. Started indoors in midspring, seeds should germinate after 14 days at 60°F. Or, sow them directly in the garden after the soil has warmed, keeping the seedbed moist until seedlings have sprouted. Propagation may also be by cuttings, layering, or root divisions made in the late spring.

Set plants out when all danger of frost has passed eight to ten inches apart in rows a foot apart. Marjoram prefers slightly damper conditions than its hardier relative oregano. Mulch plants to help retain soil moisture and keep weeds down; cultivating may disturb its shallow root system. Water sparingly, but more than for oregano. Plants mature in 70 days.

Harvest marjoram by clipping back branches to the bottom set of leaves. For flavor that is sweet and mild, harvest foliage before blooms begin to form; for flavor that is more pronounced, harvest just before bloom. Dry foliage away from sunlight to preserve both color and flavor. Dehydrate by forced air at temperatures under 115°F. Discard stems, and store crisp foliage in airtight and light-tight containers.

Plants can be overwintered in milder areas by mulching. In colder areas, dig and divide roots early in the fall, bringing them inside for winter use and for replanting outdoors in the spring.

After two or three years, when plants are woody and less productive, divide and replant root clumps.

Postharvest Handling (section by Marita Cantwell). Increased use of fresh herbs for culinary and other purposes has also increased the demand for high quality. The successful marketing of high quality fresh culinary herbs requires extreme care and attention to postharvest handling conditions.

All the postharvest principles that apply to leafy green tissues apply to the handling of fresh herbs. Temperature is the single most important factor in maintaining quality after harvest. Despite the diverse botanical origin of the fresh herbs, the optimum postharvest temperature for fresh thyme, oregano, rosemary, mints, sage, parsley, cilantro, savory, marjoram, dill, and tarragon is 32 F (0 C). Under controlled conditions, a shelf life of 3 to 4 weeks can be achieved at this temperature. With a temperature of 41 F (5 C), a minimum shelf life of 2 to 3 weeks can be expected. See Figure 1. If herbs are harvested early in the morning, the need for cooling is minimized. If harvested later, the appropriate cooling method depends on the type of herb. Most respond favorable to room and forced air cooling. Herbs have also been successfully vacuum-cooled. A simple forced air pre-cooler can be constructed for small operations that requires only an adequate coolroom, a fan, and some simple carpentry.

After temperature, prevention of excess moisture loss is the second most important postharvest factor affecting the quality and shelf life of herbs. Most herbs respond favorable with very high humidity (>95%). Some herbs can be held successfully in water (basil, mints, tarragon), whereas water loss in most can best be controlled by packaging and maintaining high humidity in the environment. Lowering the holding temperature to the recommended levels also greatly reduces water loss.

Herbs can be packaged in bags designed to minimize water loss. When herbs are packaged this way, it is particularly important to maintain constant temperatures, to reduce condensation inside the bag and the consequent risk of fungal or bacterial growth. The bags may be partially ventilated with perforations, or may be constructed of a polymer that is partially permeable to water vapor.

The relative humidly in the packing area, cold rooms, and transport vehicles should be maintained at a high level (>95%) where practical.

Ethylene gas is another factor which limits the shelf life of leafy tissues. Ethylene causes yellowing of leaves, and an increased rate of deterioration. It is possible to routinely find one to three ppm ethylene in the environment surrounding fruits and vegetables during commercial handling. Young growing herb tissue responds to ethylene (5 ppm), whereas little effect was observed in mature herb cuttings. In addition, holding the herbs at the recommended temperatures also greatly reduces their ability to respond to ethylene in the environment.

Careful handling to avoid physical injury to the leafy tissue of the fresh herbs is also important. Rigid clear plastic containers such as those sometimes used for sprouts may be used for soft herbs. "Pillow packs" (plastic bags which are partially inflated when sealed) may be an alternative packaging technique. Careless handling results in tissue discoloration, as well as increasing sites for pathogen attack. Growth of microorganisms can also be reduced by proper temperature management and good hygienic practices in the field and packing station. Chlorinated water can reduce microbial load if water is used during handling.

Varieties Sweet Marjoram, Creeping Golden Marjoram.

Seed/Plant Sources:

W. Atlee Burpee & Co., 300 Park Avenue, Warminster, PA 18974.

De Giorgi Co., Inc., PO Box 413, Council Bluffs, IA 51502.

Gurney's Seed & Nursery Co., Yankton, SD 57079.

Harris Seeds, 961 Lyell Avenue, Rochester, NY 14606.

Henry Field's Seed & Nursery Co., Shenandoah, IA 51602.

Indiana Botanic Gardens, PO Box 5, Hammond, IN 46325.

J.L. Hudson, Seedsman, PO Box 1058, Redwood City, CA 94064.

Johnny's Selected Seeds, 299 Foss Hill Rd., Albion, ME 04910.

Nichols Garden Nursery, 1190 North Pacific Hwy., Albany, OR 97321.

Park Seed Co., Cokesbury Road, Greenwood, SC 29647-0001.

Pinetree Garden Seeds, Route 100, New Gloucester, ME 04260.

Redwood City Seed Co., PO Box 361, Redwood City, CA 94064.

Otto Richter & Sons Ltd., Box 26, Goodwood, Ontario, Canada L0C 1A0.

Shepherd's Garden Seeds, 30 Irene Street, Torrington, CT 06790.

Stokes Seeds Inc., Box 548, Buffalo, NY 14240.

Taylor's Herb Gardens, Inc., 1535 Lone Oak Road, Vista, CA 92084.

Territorial Seed Co., PO Box 27, Lorane, Or 97451.

Thompson & Morgan, PO Box 1308, Jackson, NJ 08527.

Otis Twilley Seed Co., PO Box 65, Trevose, PA 19047.

Vermont Bean Seed Co., Garden Lane, Fair Haven, VT 05743.

References:

Cantwell, M. and M. Reid. Postharvest handling of fresh culinary herbs. Perishables Handling No. 60: 2-4. Vegetable Crops Dept., UC Davis. 1986.

Joyce, Daryl, Michael Reid and Philip Katz. Postharvest handling of fresh culinary herbs. Perishables Handling No. 58:1-4. Vegetable Crops Dept., UC Davis. Feb. 1986

Figure 2. Marjoram. Photo by Hunter Johnson.

Authors are: Yvonne Savio, Vegetable Crops Extension, UCD and Curt Robinson, University Extension, UCD

Reviewed by Jeanine Davis, 12/4/91

Reviewed by Tim Hartz, 1/7/92

1/10/92