Plant ID card |
|
|---|---|
Botanical name |
Origanum vulgare. |
Common name |
Oregano, wild marjoram, English marjoram, red tea, shepherd's thyme, foot-de-bed. |
Family |
Lamiaceae. |
Origin |
Europe, Western Asia. |
Dimensions |
The herbaceous plant appears in the form of a branched tuft with red pubescent stems, 50 to 60 cm high. |
Foliage |
Oregano has opposite leaves, oval and pointed, with a downy appearance on the underside. 2 to 4 cm long, they are slightly toothed and aromatic. |
Bloom |
Grouped in small panicles, oregano flowers appear from July to October, attracting the garden's many pollinating insects, particularly butterflies. White, pink or purple in color, they are tubular in shape. |
Fruiting |
The fruit of oregano is an oval schizocarp (dry fruit divided into segments), approximately 0.6 mm long. Brown in color, it is made up of 4 nutlets (small nuts). |
Exposure |
Sun. |
Ground |
All soils, even poor or stony, but well drained. |
Rusticity |
Oregano tolerates cold temperatures down to –15°C. |
Oregano grows wildly at the edge of the woods and also appreciates arid mountains and hillsides up to 2000 m altitude.
This is where its name
Origanum
comes from , which means “joy of the mountains” in Greek.
What is the difference between oregano, thyme and marjoram?
Origanum vulgare
is the only cultivated species among the 50 in the genus
Origanum
.
A herbaceous condiment plant, oregano is characterized by
its great resistance
to both cold and high heat.
It is often confused with marjoram and thyme even though they are very different species.
Oregano has
sharper
, greener leaves than marjoram and a stronger taste.
They, however, both have medicinal properties.
As for thyme, if oregano shares its scent, it is a creeping sub-shrub whose leaves rolled up at the edges alongside pink flowers in spikes.
Oregano comes in many varieties including 'Aureum' with golden yellow leaves and 'Variegatum' with variegated foliage.
Also read: The top 20 aromatic herbs to grow at home
Where to plant oregano?
Plant
Origanum vulgare
in a
sunny location
in light, humus-rich and well-drained soil even though it can grow in all types of soil, particularly limestone.
The plant can be grown in the ground, in the vegetable garden, but also thrives in a dry bed in the garden alongside other aromatic plants.
Growing in a pot is also possible in a sunny position.
A draining substrate is essential because oregano cannot tolerate excess humidity.
When and how to grow oregano?
Sowing:
sow oregano, in a row, broadcast or in a pot (several seeds in a pot of soil) from March to May and from September to October.
In autumn, sowing must be carried out in a nursery or under cover.
Be sure to loosen the soil before sowing and enrich it with a little compost.
Water in small quantities.
After 20 to 30 days, young shoots appear.
Select the most vigorous ones and transplant them into pots when they reach 4 to 5 cm.
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No use without permission.
Planting:
plant
Orignanum vulgare
in spring or fall (September to late October).
In open ground, prepare the soil by adding compost and sand if your soil is heavy.
Maintain a distance of 30 cm between the plants and the lines.
In a pot, place a drainage layer at the bottom of the container based on gravel or clay balls.
Use a substrate composed of potting soil and sand.
Water without excess.
For more details, consult the lunar calendar.
How to take care of oregano?
Easy to grow, oregano requires
little care
:
In open ground, water at the end of the day, during periods of extreme heat but never in winter;
In a pot, oregano must be watered daily in summer and watered regularly in winter, taking care to let the substrate dry well.
Avoid, at all costs, stagnant water in the saucer;
Weed around the base to encourage the plant to breathe;
Carry out a formal pruning at the beginning of spring by removing dry stems;
Cut the clump back to ground level in autumn and mulch the base in anticipation of the winter cold.
How to harvest and dry oregano leaves?
The leaves and flowers of oregano are edible but only the leaves are of interest in cooking.
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No use without permission.
The leaves and flowers of oregano are edible but only the leaves are of interest in cooking.
They are to be harvested as needed,
until the end of October
.
Cut the oregano stems, in dry weather, early in the morning, to obtain a more pronounced flavor.
The leaves can be eaten fresh and kept for a few days in the vegetable drawer.
They can also be dried in a dry, ventilated place away from light.
The aroma is then enhanced.
The best way to dry the plant is to make small bouquets to hang,
upside down
, until completely dry.
Also read: Rosemary: the sweet scent of scrubland in your garden and your kitchen!
How to use oregano in cooking?
Its strong,
peppery and bitter
taste is close to that of thyme and basil.
It enhances Italian dishes like pizza, osso bucco or gnocchi gratin.
It is also perfect for flavoring grilled meats, fresh cheeses and tomato sauces.
Oregano is also part of the traditional bouquet of Provence herbs.
What are the benefits of oregano?
A medicinal plant, oregano has multiple virtues.
It is rich in antioxidants and helps fight against winter ailments thanks to its antiviral, antimicrobial, antiseptic and antifungal properties.
The secret of its effectiveness lies in the high concentration
of carvacrol and thymol
, phenols included in the composition of essential oils.
Origanum vulgare
also improves intestinal transit and can be used as a fresh poultice to relieve rheumatism, stiff neck and aches.