Micromeria Species, Douglas' Savory, Yerba Buena

I have yet to attempt growing this plant; but I understand that it is native to s.w. British Columbia; Washington, Oregon and California ...Read Morewest of the Cascades, and the coastal range of California, n. Idaho and w. Montana. It has been introduced to Alaska. It is a non-agressive, low-growing, creeping perennial, speading to six feet. It seems to favor moist soils and part-shade, below 3000' elevation. It is also known as Oregon Tea. My information comes from friends who gather the herb in the wild and from internet searches.

This died on me last year and I'm not quite sure why. It seemed like one day it was fine, (OK, maybe a few aphids,) and the next it was...Read More shriveled and dead.

I like the plant a lot, so I'm going to try a couple of them this year in different spots and see how they do.

Satureja Douglasii is a nice trailing herb, which is native to what is now called Yerba Buena Island in the San Francisco Bay. It has a minty smell; but, It is not a mint and is not the same Yerba Buena used in Mojitos. The Spanish Missionaries who arrived at the area around 1775, named it Yerba Buena which means simply "Good Herb". I suspect other missionaries may have done the same thing in other places to other plants.

The city of San Francisco was called "Yerba Buena" until it was renamed "San Francisco" after the first Spanish Mission in the area, Misión San Francisco De Asis, in January of 1847. To make matters worse, San Franciscans now call Misión San Francisco De Asis "Mission Dolores".

Satureja douglasii was made into a medicinal tea by the Indians who lived in the San Francisco Bay area and can be used (allegedly) to treat everything from colds to impotence. I don't know how it would taste in a mojito. Though, if mine lives long enough this year, perhaps I will find out.

Some other synonyms for the plant are Micromeria chamissonis, Micromeria douglasii, and Thymus chamissonis.

I thought the Yerba buena was Mentha nemorosa not Satureja douglasii. It is a cousin of the spearmint and the herb used for the "mojito...Read More" the most famous Cuban cocktail, although mostly unknown by anglos and hardly known in the states except where Cubans congregate.

it is a refreshing rum and lime spritzer and the unique flavor is due to the bruised yerbabuena.

Cuban Mojito
Yields 1 serving

3 sprigs yerbabuena (or spearmint) - 10-12n leaves
1 Tablespoons sugar or to taste
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 ounces light rum
1 cup ice cubes
1 cup club soda
Sprig or yerbabuena for garnish

strip the leaves and place in bottom of a large highball glass. Add the sugar and lime juice. Gently pound (or bruise) the leaves with the end of a wooden spoon, to release the aromatic oils in the leaves.

Stir in the rum followed by the ice cubes. Add enough club soda to fill glass. Stir until sugar dissolves. Garnish with a whole fresh sprig of yerbabuena and serve at once.