That's two separate plants. If you swish the roots around in a bucket of water you can more easily separate them. Or you can plant them as-is. Your choice.

Rodney

I agree that's two plants. Rodney's suggestion to swish the roots in water is a good one. They'll still be grown together in a tangle but will separate more easily. Or you can just tease them apart gently with your fingers and plant them.

Congratuations! At the current price for a single pot, you got a bonus!

Annie

two plants ... plant separate and bury it up a few inches on the stem so more roots can grow

Doesn't matter. Treat it as two stems on one plant, and just plant the whole thing. Unless you're desperate for two separate plants. The latter might give you more productivity, but the former would be less abusive to it. Your bottom picture suggests that you've already abused it some.

Either tease them apart or use a knife to separate them. Plant deeper or lay down so more of the stem contacts the soil. Water in for a couple weeks. Good Luck.

sounds like you got a good deal: buy 1 get 1 free!

All the Bonnie’s herbs are now grown as a tangle of 3-4 plants. My recollection is that a loooong time ago there were often 2-3 more separate seedlings.

I have found it very hard to separate these w/o destroying one or all. Plus then there is clearly the good root system you’d expect. Easier if bought when centers are just getting them in stock, plus planting early to allow recovery before stressful weather. But sometimes I’m not ready for this or that.

So while it can seem like a bonanza, it’s fraught. I think they do that to make the pots look full. Maybe there’s an auto- planter that drops the seeds in the center.