The Latin name, marrubium vulgare, is derived from two Hebrew terms: mar, meaning “bitter”, and rob, meaning “much”. The taste of horehound also contributes to the name, with vulgare meaning “simple” or “common”.
Leaves and stems
Horehound is an outsider in its mint family: compared to its hairy, fragrant relatives, such as sage and peppermint, horehound only secretes tiny amounts of essential oils. These are imperceptible to humans.