What's eating my winter marjoram?

Winter marjoram (Origanum heracleoticum) shares the pest profile of Greek oregano: aphids on soft growth, spider mites in dry conditions, and leafhoppers that cause pale stippling. Thrips can scar flowers and tender leaves in warm summers. Its strong essential oil content and woody habit make it less palatable than basil, and deer tend to avoid it.

Soft-bodied insects on new shoot tips and undersides; shoot tips may curl; honeydew deposits attract sooty mould and ants Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage beneficial insects; heavy infestations can be cut back and plants will regrow quickly

Fine pale stippling and bronzing across leaves with webbing on undersides, worst in hot dry summers or under glass Improve air circulation; mist foliage; apply neem oil to leaf undersides; ensure adequate moisture at the roots

Coarse pale speckling on upper leaf surfaces; tiny wedge-shaped insects on undersides that hop rapidly when disturbed Spray with insecticidal soap targeting leaf undersides; yellow sticky traps help monitor populations; remove weeds around the planting

Silver-streaked scars on leaves and flowers; fine black frass dots on leaf surfaces; distorted shoot tips Apply insecticidal soap or spinosad spray; introduce predatory mites (Neoseiulus cucumeris) in greenhouses; remove heavily scarred leaves