October Floral

It's been a while since I posted any photos of flowers so I thought I would share my new favorite, Ornamental Oregano. We've had an unseasonably warm October so far (it was 75 degrees yesterday), so some of the flowers on my deck are still going strong.

Ornamental Oregano, Origanum rotundifolium, also known as Kent Beauty, has no taste and is not grown for culinary use. Kent Beauty is native to Turkey, Armenia and Republic of Georgia and is a hydrid ornamental oregano of Origanum rotundifolium x Origanum scabrum.

Kent Beauty does best in full sun and it prefers to be in dry soil between thorough waterings. It has bushy, pale green and mauve bracts that are long-lasting in the garden and as a cut flower. Kent Beauty needs to be pruned closely back after its summer bloom, and it is best to protect it from excessive winter moisture.