Cuban Thyme/Cuban Oregano. The will to live is strong. [View all]

Last year, I bought one of these, and at the end of the season, I just didn't want to try to winter it over, not enough space in the house and they're cheap.

So, I cut it off at the soil line, and hung the entire thing to dry for cooking.

Which was a mistake. Being so succulent, it didn't dry. It sat there and slowly grew new growth from the terminal ends, and slowly shriveled a bit as it used stored water from its tissue.

Finally, I felt sorry enough for it that I took a couple of cuttings and threw them in water. One grew roots, the rest rotted. I'm going to plant the new one out this weekend.

The rest, to dry it, I had to finally strip the leaves and put on a cookie sheet in a 170 degree oven for about 6 hours. I've been using that all winter to cook with, wonderful flavor.

If you haven't tried this herb, give it a whirl. It's fun and easy to grow, and a good ornamental in combo planters for the summer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plectranthus_amboinicus