Dried leaves lose their fragrance, but can be frozen for use later. Harvest coriander seed when the plant is dried and crisp but before seed pods break open and scatter seed. Cut the whole plant, threshing it out for further drying or hanging to dry and gathering seed as it falls. Seed that has not been dried has a bitter taste. Flowers in August and September are knotlike before blossoming into tiny white, pink, or yellow flower spikes.
Fruits are very small light-brown nutlets.
Marjoram has a pleasantly fragrant, spicy odor with a hint of balsam. It can be used as a mild substitute for oregano. Because its delicately sweet flavor can be lost easily in cooking, it is best used in dishes that are not cooked or cooked very little. It complements other herbs such as bay, garlic, onion, thyme and basil. Marjoram also makes a sweet flavored tea.