Plant record · Perennial
Is Marjoram deer resistant?
Origanum majorana
Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- Type
- Perennial
- Hardiness
- Zones 9–10
- Light
- Full sun
- Height
- 12–24 in
- Bloom
- Summer
- Maintenance
- Low
- Toxic to
- dogs and cats
Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.
About Marjoram
Sweeter and more tender than oregano, and usually grown as an annual north of zone 9. Aromatic oils keep deer off it entirely.
Do deer eat marjoram?
Rarely. Rutgers rates it Rarely Damaged, A, Iowa State lists it in the top tier of herbs, and NC State lists deer and rabbits among what Origanum majorana resists, along with drought, heat, poor soil, insect pests and disease. It is a sweeter, softer oregano and carries the same oils, which is the reason.
Where it grows
NC State: hardy only in zones 9a to 10b, 1 to 2 feet, full sun, flowering July and August; north of zone 9 it is sown or bought each spring and treated as an annual. The ASPCA lists marjoram as toxic to dogs and cats; NC State says "Sweet Marjoram can be toxic for pets," and the callout below carries it.
Protecting marjoram
Nothing.
If it is browsed
It regrows from the base and is cut for the kitchen more often than any deer would cut it. Where it is perennial, shear after flowering.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Sharp, gritty. Will rot in wet soil
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 10 to 14 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Marjoram
Other perennials with the same deer rating.
- Anise HyssopAgastache sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Basket of GoldAurinia saxatilisZones 3–7Rarely damaged
- Bearded IrisIris germanicaZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Bigleaf GoldenrayLigularia dentataZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Bleeding HeartLamprocapnos spectabilisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
- Butter and EggsLinaria vulgarisZones 3–9Rarely damaged
Where Marjoram is used
One guide on this site plants it, and says where and what beside it.
Where Marjoram grows
Hardy across 14 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Vermont
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
Common questions about Marjoram
- Is Marjoram deer resistant?
- Marjoram (Origanum majorana) is rated Rarely Damaged, step 1 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Marjoram grow in?
- Marjoram is hardy in USDA zones 9 to 10. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Marjoram grow in shade?
- No. Marjoram wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Marjoram get?
- Mature height is roughly 12–24 in. Growth rate is moderate.
- Is Marjoram toxic to dogs or cats?
- Yes. The ASPCA lists Marjoram as toxic to dogs and cats. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.
Browse from here
Every list Marjoram belongs to.
All perennials·Rarely damaged·Full sun plants