The name “oregano” may conjure up visions of pizza or Greek salad but after you grow this ornamental form you will find a whole new place in your life for oregano. There are several fine cultivars of ornamental oregano but ‘Rotkugel’ is one of the best because of its short, mounding habit and abundant flowers. The plant spreads by stolons and so produces mats of foliage that are covered with large loose heads of deep pink flowers with dark purple calyces in late summer to fall. If you want butterflies in the garden, stand back, these flowers are butterfly magnets.
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Bloom: Small deep pink flowers with dark purple calyces are produced in loose heads in late summer to fall for a long bloom time.
Foliage: Semi-evergreen with a flush of purple, ovate leaves
Size: 15” H x 18” W
Light: Full sun
Soil: Lean to average, well-drained
Hardiness: Zones 5-9
Care: Cut back in spring to encourage new growth
Pests and Diseases: None of significance
Propagation: Division
Companion plants: Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’), ‘Powis Castle’ artemesia.
Karen Meyers