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Origanum vulgare

(Greek Oregano)

Overview

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Perennial herb. Sun. Height to 24". Space 18" apart.

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Burmese:

Taw-Yon, Yon-Bwe

Common Names in Danish:

Almindelig Merian, Vild Merian

Common Names in Dutch:

Wilde Marjolein

Common Names in English:

Greek Oregano, European Oregano, Oregano, Pot Marjoram, True Oregano, Wild Marjoram, Winter Majoram, Wintersweet

Common Names in French:

Marjolaine Bâtarde, Marjolaine Sauvage, Marjolaine Vulgaire, Origan Commun, Origan Sauvage, Origan Vulgaire

Common Names in German:

Brauner Dost, Dost, Falscher Staudenmajoran, Oregano, Wilder Majoran

Common Names in Hindi:

Sathra

Common Names in Hungarian:

Oregánó, Szurokf, Vadmajoránna

Common Names in Italian:

Maggiorana Volgare, Origano, Origano Commune

Common Names in Portuguese:

Manjerona-Brava, Orégãos

Common Names in Russian:

Dikii Maioran, Duica Obyknovennaja

Common Names in Slovak:

Pamajorán Obyajný

Common Names in Spanish:

Orégano, Orégano Europeo

Common Names in Swedish:

Vild Mejram

Common Names in Turkish:

Izmir Kekii

Description

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Genus Origanum

Subshrubs or perennial herbs, gynodioecious , aromatic . Leaves ovate to oblong-ovate, entire to remotely dentate . Spikes cylindric to oblong , sometimes elongated in fruit, many flowered, overlapping with small bracts, in corymbose panicles; bracts and bracteoles green and purple-red, oblong-obovate to lanceolate. Calyx campanulate , throat villous annulate , ca. 13-veined; teeth 5, subtriangular , subequal , apex acute to obtuse . Corolla white or rose to purple, campanulate, tube exserted, limb 2-lipped; upper lip straight, emarginate ; lower lip spreading, 3-lobed, middle lobe larger than lateral lobes. Stamens 4, shorter to slightly longer than upper lip in bisexual flowers, included in pistillate flowers; anthers ovoid , cells 2, separated by triangular cuneate connectives ; filaments glabrous . Style exserted, apex unequally 2-cleft. Nutlets ovoid, slightly ribbed , dry, glabrous.

About 15-20 species: primarily in SW and C Asia, one in China.[1]

Physical Description

Species Origanum vulgare

Rhizomes oblique , ± woody. Stems erect or prostrate near base , 25-60 cm, purplish, retrorse pubescent or slightly floccose-pubescent, numerous , leafless near base, lower branches sterile . Petiole 2-7 mm; leaf blade ovate to oblong-ovate, 1-4 × 0.4-1.5 cm, glandular , adaxially shiny green tinged purple, sparsely villous , abaxially densely villous, base broadly cuneate to rounded , margin entire or remotely serrulate , apex obtuse to slightly obtuse. Spikes oblong , ± elongated in fruit; floral leaves mostly sessile, purplish; bracts green or purple, oblong-obovate to obovate or oblanceolate , ca. 5 mm, margin entire, apex acute. Calyx ca. 3 mm, minutely hispid or subglabrous; teeth triangular, ca. 0.5 mm. Corolla purple-red to white, tubular-campanulate, 5-7 mm; tube ca. 5 mm, exserted in bisexual flowers, ca. 3 mm, included in pistillate flowers, sparsely pubescent; upper lip ovate, ca. 1.5 mm, apex 2-lobed; lower lip ca. 2 mm, lobes oblong-ovate. Nutlets brown, ca. 0.6 mm, apex rounded. Fl. Jul-Sep, fr. Oct-Dec. [source]

Habit: Forb/herb

Flowers: Bloom Period: June, July, August. • Flower Color: pink

Size/Age/Growth

Size: 12-18" tall.

Habitat

Hills , grasslands, forests ; 500-3600 m. [2].

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 4,653 meters (0 to 15,266 feet).[3]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: Perennial

Growth

Culture: Space 12-15" apart.

Soil: Minimum pH: 7.6 • Maximum pH: 9.0

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Full Sun .

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: High

Temperature: Cold Hardiness: 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Synonyms

O. normale D. Don • O. vulgare var. formosanum Hayata. • Origanum creticum Loureiro

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Last scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Origanum

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 48 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

O. dictamnus (Dittany of Crete) · O. dictamus (Dittany of Crete) · O. laevigatum (Wild Marjoram) · O. laevigatum 'Herrenhausen' (Herrenhausen Ornamental Oregano) · O. laevigatum 'Hopleys' (Hopley's Purple Oregano) · O. laevigatum 'Joanne' (Smooth Oregano 'joanne') · O. laevigatum 'Pilgrim' (Marjoram) · O. laevigatum 'Silver Anniversary' (Marjoram) · O. laevigatum 'Wellsweep' (Marjoram) · O. libanoticum (Oregano) · O. majorana (Knotted Marjoram) · O. maru (Egyptian Marjoram) · O. onites (Cretan Oregano) · O. pulchellum (Showy Oregano) · O. rotundifolium (Oregano) · O. rotundifolium 'Dingle Fairy' (Ornamental Oregano) · O. rotundifolium 'Kent Beauty' (Kent Beauty Oregano) · O. sipyleum (Showy Pink Oregano) · O. syriacum (Bible Hyssop) · O. tournefortii (Tournefort Oregano) · O. tyttanticum (Turkestan Oregano) · O. tytthanthum 'Khirgiztan' (Khirgiztan Oregano) · O. vulgare (Greek Oregano) · O. vulgare 'Aureum' (Golden Oregano) · O. vulgare gracile (Khirgizstan Oregano) · O. vulgare hirtum (Greek Oregano) · O. vulgare prismaticum (Oregano) · O. vulgare var. Hot And Spicy (Oregano) · O. vulgare var. Humile (Creeping Oregano) · O. vulgare 'Country Cream' (Oregano) · O. vulgare 'Dark Leaf' (Oregano) · O. vulgare 'Golden Shine' (Marjoram) · O. vulgare 'Gold Tip' (Variegated Oregano) · O. vulgare subsp. hirtum 'Humile' (Compact Greek Oregano) · O. vulgare 'Hot & Spicy' (Oregano) · O. vulgare 'Jim's Best' (Jim's Best Oregano) · O. vulgare 'Variegata' (Variegated Marjoram) · O. vulgare 'White Anniversary' (Oregano) · O. x majoricum (Hardy Marjoram) · O. 'Barbara Tingey' (Oregano) · O. 'Bristol Cross' (Oregano) · O. 'Hot and Spicy' (Hot and Spicy Oregano) · O. 'Kent Beauty' (Kent Beauty Oregano) · O. 'Norton's Gold' (Oregano) · O. 'Rosenkuppel' (Marjoram) · O. 'Rotkugel' (Ornamental Oregano) · O. 'Santa Cruz' (Ornamental Oregano) · O. 'Thumbles Variety' (Oregano)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 18, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. "Origanum". in Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 232. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. "Origanum vulgare". in Flora of China Vol. 17 Page 233. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. Mean = 227.610 meters (746.752 feet), Standard Deviation = 302.810 based on 9,745 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/15/2012