Oregano differs significantly in taste though, because phenolic compounds are missing from its essential oil. Some varieties show a flavour intermediate between oregano and marjoram. Accepted subspecies: Example cultivars of oregano include: Cultivars traded as Italian, Sicilian, etc. are usually hardy sweet marjoram ("O. ×majoricum"), a hybrid between the southern Adriatic "O. v. hirtum" and sweet marjoram ("O. majorana"). They have a reputation for sweet and spicy tones, with little bitterness, and are prized for their flavor and compatibility with various recipes and sauces. Oregano is a culinary herb, used for the flavor of its leaves, which can be more flavorful
Marjoram directly derive from the Latin word "maior" (major). Leaves are smooth, simple, petiolated, ovate to oblong-ovate, long, wide, with obtuse apex, entire margin, symmetrical but tapering base, and reticulate venation. The texture is extremely smooth due to the presence of numerous hairs. Considered a tender perennial (USDA Zones 7–9), marjoram can sometimes prove hardy even in zone 5. Marjoram is cultivated for its aromatic leaves, either green or dry, for culinary purposes; the tops are cut as the plants begin to flower and are dried slowly in the shade. It is often used in herb combinations such as "herbes de