dittany, Cunila origanoides

Dittany is a shy little plant that somehow stayed under my radar until the last Ohio trip. I only saw it when I climbed up a roadside bank to get closer to a taller plant. There it was, happily nestled among the taller stems. This subshrub only gets a foot or a little more tall. In more herbal times dittany was used for a variety of ailments, mostly taken as tea. Or it was brewed just to enjoy. It has a flavor similar to oregano or marjoram. Dittany grows in dry or rocky woods in AL, AR, DE, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, and WV. Scioto Co OH, 10/2/21. Mint family, Lamiaceae.