Ornamental oregano

Does anyone save seeds off ornamental oregano? (Origanum rotundifolium "Kent Beauty") I can't find anywhere to buy seeds, so I'm going to probably buy plants, but I'd like to know if they produce viable seeds.

You won't find the seeds in this country if at all. I think it is propagated asexually -- there may not actually be any seeds that will breed true.

There are a number of specialty nurseries that have it for sale as a small plant, and this might be your best bet, esp. if you look into the other similar varieties like Origanum ‘Barbara Tingey’, Origanum calcaratum, and Origanum dictamnus. All are rated to z.6 or warmer, so like me you might have to either bring them in for the winter or buy them again next year. Here is a pretty good source: http://www.goodwincreekgardens.com/CatalogByCategory.asp?CategoryID=6

I found one person who lists "Kent beauty" seeds for trade -- perhaps they can give you guidance on how to collect the seeds: http://davesgarden.com/trading/tl/frederic/viewentry/30676/

Thanks, greenjay. Looks like you took a little time to do some research for me. Appreciate it.

Oh, believe me, if there were seeds available I would have bought a bunch. I had a "kent beauty' in my rose garden this year, and it was a real star. it looked quite wonderful draped over a rock wall. It tolerates low watering extremely well, and didn't have any problem at all during a period of unnaturally heavy rain this summer.

Oh my, that is just lovely! Did you try to take cuttings? You know, I could have sworn that I read somewhere that they set seeds in those pretty flowers. Did you look? Have you tried to collect seeds? (I'm sure that's a silly question, but I just had to ask.)

I'm going to let it be because I want to see if it will survive a proper colorado winter. In between snowstorms, we have plenty of warm days.

I saw the actual flowers not long after that picture was taken. They are way up inside the "bells", and pretty insignificant by themselves. If there are seeds, hopefully they will drop into the creivices of the rocks below and sprout.

I hope you'll remember to let us know if you end up with little volunteers in those crevices. Darn, I wish I'd seen pics of this plant early enough to get some established here. Now I'm probably going to have to wait till next year to buy plants. Rats!! I'm soooo jealous. Hope yours survive those Colorado winters. I think they're supposed to be pretty hardy.

This message was edited Nov 27, 2006 6:13 PM

If I have volunteers you all will be the first to know! What a trade that would make....LOL

If this is a cultivar, I would guess that it will revert to species... that is what ever species were crossed to get the cultivar. In many cases, seed growers can duplicate the original process to get the cultivar seeds, but some cultivars are sterile or put out sterile seeds that won't produce plants. This means you will only get a true cultivar by stem cuttings or root ball division.

Most seed companies are careful about misrepresenting their product, but as traders, we often label our seeds by the identity of the mother plant, disregarding such issues are cross-pollination and cultivars that are not reliable from seed. This is not to imply that anyone is mis-representing their seeds intentionally. It just means we should all allow for the fact that our resulting plants may not be true to the mother plant. If you need a cultivar, purchase the seed, or better yet purchase the plant from a reputable grower.

I thought it was pretty, and a worthy experiment for hardiness. Overall, I would rather have something like the Origanu RosenKuppel or Herrenhausen because they are more xeric and the colors work better with my other plants. Now I would trade something special for seeds of those.

This is a beautiful and fragrant plant. I love it, but... I have never had it live long enough to seed. It seems to hate the high humidity and heat we have here. Still love it and will try time and again.... pod

I've been doing a little poking around, and someone on one of those "other" garden websites had volunteers from a Kent Beauty come up. The pictures posted showed a very similar plant, only somewhat pinker. Very pretty. Probably not a reliable result because it IS a hybrid, but I think I'd be happy to try seeds gathered from the mother plant.

Podster, that is beautiful, hope you succeed :o)

Connie

Thank you Connie, if you get an opportunity to try one, I believe you will love it. The smell is wonderful and the blooms are delightful. This was sold to me as Kent's Beauty. Does anyone know if another variant will survive high heat and humidity?

I didn't notice any scent at all, but it was absolutely beautiful this year.

I am a toucher and loved to rub these leaves and smell the fragrance. The blooms smelled the same as the leaves. If you think of it next year, rub the leaves and smell. Wonderful! I have bought plants for two years now and know the cuttings will root. I am hoping the plants come back from roots next spring for me. Is this the plant that is commonly called Dittany of Crete?

I've never grown an oregano cultivar... just the culinary variety. It seldom winters over here, so I grow it as an annual. It would be great if your cultivar will come back close to true.

Podster, are you sure you're not overwatering your plant? I have no experience myself, but everything I've read about Kent Beauty (and I think I've about worn out Google) indicates that it likes hot weather, sun, and dry, well-drained soil. (Which will be something of a challenge in MY area!) Here's a suggestion I copied from an article in a Seattle newspaper:

"When you're ripping out the annuals in the container at the end of the season, don't discard your 'Kent Beauty.' Either leave it in the pot (remember it's in there come spring) or transplant it into a holding area. It's as hardy as a rock, and when growth begins anew in spring, cut it back hard and use it to spice up another container."

And no, Dittany of Crete is O. dictamnus; Kent Beauty is a cultivar of O. rotundifolium, actually a hybrid of rotundifolium x scabrum.

Tee hee, those who can't grow (me).......research!!

I've recently gotten into an origanum fetish, lol...

Just a note: I looked and looked for seeds on my kent beauty, but they did not set any seeds. I was out there looking at them and rubbing the dried flower heads almost ever other day, but no luck.

We had a freezing rain and temps in the 20 for the last few nights, and the oreganos(I have several in that bed) don't looked phased a bit.

I placed a large order with Goodwin creek and also another with Digging Dog and Arrowhead alpines. Those three nurseries had the very best varieties. Also, look for 'amethyst falls' in Spring, from High country gardens. High country also has the very beautiful libonaticaum.

By the way DDog had the largest and healthiest plants of those four nurseries. Goodwin was out of several, and what they sent were kinda dinky...
-T

We can grow oregano in our moist, chilly climate, and it seems to do well all summer. I start mine from seed under lights in the basement each spring. In the past, I have had some luck wintering it over, but not in the last couple years. I may have had a hardier strain before, but I am not sure. One winter I dumped some pots into my dirt pile in the fall, and next spring, I turned the root ball over to sift out the soil, and the plants were alive. You just never know in my climate.