Yerba buena, Oregon tea
Micromeria douglasii

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

A tender creeping herb. It grows from year to year from a woody rhizome. It has some upright stems. The stems can be 60 cm long. The leaves are in pairs along the stem. They are thick and shiny. They are egg shaped with blunt points and slight teeth. They are 3 cm long. They have small teeth. The leaves have an odour when crushed. The flowers are in small groups at the nodes along the stems. The flowers are small and white. They are tube shaped. They are 15 mm long. The fruit are 4 shiny brown nutlets.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in dry woods and open fields. It grows in the understorey of dry forest. At ECHO. It grows in hardiness zone 7-8.

Countries/locations it is found in

Canada, Mexico, North America, USA

How it is used for food

The leaves are used fresh or dried to make a tea drink.

Edible parts

Leaves - tea

How it is grown

It is grown from stem or root cuttings. It is easily grown vegetatively.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Clinopodium douglasii (Benth.) Kuntze; Micromeria barbata Fisch. & C. A. Mey.; Micromeria chamissonis (Benth.) Greene; Satureja douglasii (Benth.) Briq.; Thymus chamissonis Benth.; Thymus douglasii Benth.;