Oregano

Fri, 12/03/2010 - 10:15am — Kathy Ormiston
origanum.JPG
Photo Credit: 
Kathy Ormiston, PADG
Botanical Name: 
Origanum
Pronunciation: 
(oh-Rig-an-um)
Common Name: 
Oregano
Plant Type: 
Perennial
Mature Size: 
Varies depending on cultivar
Water Requirements: 
Low: water every 3 weeks until the root ball is wet
Sun/Shade Requirements: 
Full sun
Wildlife: 
Attracts bees and butterflies

We enjoy mixing herbs in ornamental plantings. Herbs like oregano are very attractive and thrive under tough conditions. Some oreganos are grown for their aromatic qualities, others for their interesting foliage and others for their attractive flowers.

'Hopley's, a variety with purplish pink flowers looks good in pots. 'Aureum', the variety shown in this picture, looks better with morning sun. The hot afternoon sun can bleach its leaves. 

Herbs are great for attracting beneficial insects to gardens. Also the less they are watered, the more intense the flavor. 

Many oreganos benefit from being sheared to the ground in the fall. You can harvest oregano any time for cooking, but the intense flavor will be right before the plants bloom.