Mexican oregano
Lippia graveolens
Also known as: Oregano cimarrón, Hierba dulce, Sonoran oregano, Puerto Rican oregano, Redbrush lippia, Scented lippia
Quick facts
- Category
- herbs woody
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Days to harvest
- 90 to 120 days
- Harvest type
- cut leaves, plant regrows for repeated harvests
- Spacing
- 60 cm between plants
Environment
- Temperature
- 10–35°C
- pH
- 6 to 8
- EC (hydroponic)
- 1 to 1.6 mS/cm
- Daily light
- 18 to 26 mol/m²/day
Climate and zones
- USDA zones
- 8 to 11 (winter low around -12°C or warmer)
- Frost tolerance
- frost sensitive (dies at first frost)
- Season
- warm (summer crops, frost-sensitive)
Viable growing environments:
- outdoor year-round (in zone)
- outdoor in growing season (annual)
- unheated greenhouse / hoop house
- indoor (heated home)
USDA zone bounds reflect outdoor year-round survival. Anywhere outside the bounded zone range, this crop still grows as an annual in the warm months (outdoor_seasonal), under cover (greenhouse), or indoors under lights.
Growing systems
Mexican oregano works in:
- drip / Dutch buckets
- soil bed
Root mass is heavy - thin-channel systems (NFT, vertical towers) can't hold this crop mechanically, hence the system list above.
Growing media
The substrate the roots sit in. Choice depends on the system (clay pebbles don't fit NFT channels; rockwool isn't used in media beds) and the crop (mexican oregano works in the media listed below).
| Medium | pH effect | Water retention | Bacterial surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perlite (Expanded volcanic glass) | neutral / inert | very low | low |
| Soil-based mix (Potting soil) | varies by source | high | high |
| Coco coir (Coconut coir) | slightly acidic | high | moderate |
Bacterial surface area matters for aquaponics: clay pebbles, lava rock, and pumice double as biofilter substrate. Low-surface media (rockwool, perlite, pea gravel) work in hydroponics but need a separate biofilter in aquaponics.
Nutrient demand by stage
NPK ratios are relative weights at each growth stage; the nutrient mix calculator scales them to absolute grams or ml. EC targets shift through the plant's life: seedlings need a much lighter solution than fruiting adults.
| Stage | N | P | K | EC target (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.7 |
| vegetative | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1.3 |
Aquaponics suitability
Not recommended for pure aquaponics. Fish waste alone doesn't provide enough of the nutrients this crop demands (typically potassium, calcium, or boron). It can be grown in a hybrid system where the reservoir is supplemented with hydroponic-style nutrients, but expect to dose actively.
Care notes
A drought-tolerant herb for warm, well-drained conditions. Container growing (15 L) with well-drained media (perlite, pumice). EC 1.0-1.8 mS/cm. pH 6.0-7.5. Temperature: 18–35°C (heat-loving; frost kills the plant). Full sun (DLI 16-25 mol/m2/day). The plant grows as a woody sub-shrub and can be maintained as a container herb for years with annual pruning. Harvest by stripping leaves from stems or cutting branch tips. The leaves are most flavorful when dried: air-dry whole branches, then crumble the dried leaves and store in sealed jars. Fresh Mexican oregano can also be used, but the flavor intensifies and improves with drying. For growers who cook Mexican food, having the correct oregano makes a measurable difference in the authenticity of chili, enchilada sauce, and salsa. Mediterranean oregano is not a substitute; the flavor profiles are distinct. Seeds and plants are available from herb specialists and some Mexican seed suppliers.
Plan a setup with Mexican oregano
Verified against: u-of-arizona-cooperative-extension, instituto-nacional-de-investigaciones-forestales-agricolas-y-pecuarias-mexico, herb-society-of-america. Last reviewed 2026-05-15.