Herb
Marjoram
Marjoram is a sweet, floral cousin of oregano with milder, more perfume-like leaves. Sweet marjoram (Origanum majorana) suits poultry, vegetables, sausages, and delicate sauces where oregano would dominate. Often confused with oregano in markets, true marjoram is softer in heat and aroma. Fresh and dried forms both work; pot marjoram and related oreganos blur trade names, so cultivar identity matters for consistent flavour.
Also known as: Majoran, Marjolaine
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History
Marjoram was cultivated in the eastern Mediterranean as a fragrant culinary and ceremonial herb.
Central European sausage and meat cookery adopted sweet marjoram as a defining aromatic.
English kitchen gardens distinguished sweet marjoram from wild marjoram (oregano).
Dried marjoram entered global spice racks alongside oregano, often under overlapping trade names.