PlantFiles: Oregano, Wild Marjoram
Origanum vulgare

My tiny 4 inch tall oregano plant grew to 2 feet tall in less than one month and is now spreading like crazy! We grow them here in Florida primarily in fall and winter. They grow very fast! They spread with runners I believe and are very easy to cut off one and give to a friend.

Also known as "pizza herb" they give that distinct taste you need for spaghetti sauce. Also great on globe artichokes and many other meditteranean recipes.

Oregano is a good companion plant to rosemary, both requiring similar conditions. It was easy to establish from seed. I sowed seeds in April in 14in clay containers. It took 3-4 months to get beyond tiny seedling stage, but by October the Oregano had covered the bare soil and started to trail down the sides of the pot. Growing in a clay pot, it needs daily watering in summer otherwise it gets limp and miserable looking. My oregano seems less resistant than the rosemary bush to dryness. I have also grown oregano very easily from cuttings in spring and summer. I didn't use rooting hormone, just stuck some bits a neighbour gave me into the soil. I don't seem to be able to get as much flavor as commercial dried oregano when I use the fresh herb in cooking, but it looks pretty in a dish.

I have 5 different oregano/marjoram plants. Some trail and some get cushiony. I also have a stick oregano and a trailing Cuban or Caribbean oregano.

The Greek and the stick oregano are both blooming at this time.

Great plant!! SO easy to grow. I planted two 4" pots of it two years ago and it's now a 3'x4'x2'tall mass of beautiful foliage and blooms. LOVE it!

Wonderful herb for hot summers in Texas. Can stand some shade in this area too. I usually cut off all of the bushy mostly bare stems to the ground in February. It keeps it from getting leggy and then it really takes off in March. It will at least double in width every year.

My photo here is of the low-growing golden oregano I use as a colorful ground cover in full sun. It spreads well without ever being invasive. Mine has never flowered. Zone 6b.

A low growing perennial native to the Mediterranean, West Asia and North Africa.

Has small, ovate, dark green, heavily scented leaves borne opposite each other on a woody base. Bears 2 lipped, tubular, dark pink to white flowers in clusters. Bees love the flowers.

Flowers April - September

Loves poorish, well drained, alkaline soil in full sun.

Perfume was once made from the roots of this plant and was considered a good, long lasting scent.

The ancient Greeks and Romans crowned newly wed couples with Marjoram and it was thought to be a plant created by Aphrodite. Its use is known to go as far back as ancient Egyptian times. It was also once fed to cows to protect them from abortion and was considered nousirshing for them after they had calved. Dairymaids would also leave a sprig by a full milk pail to prevent the milk from turning during stormy weather.

Dried leaves were used in little pillows to aid sleep and were used in ale brewing to provide a bitter flavour. It was also used as a strewing herb, dye plant and as a furniture polish.

Medicinally it was used to; ease rhumatic pains, toothache, headaches, indigestion, exhaustion, coughs, irritability and jaundice. It was also used to prevent sea sickness and as a bath tonic. Gerard the herbalist recommended Marjoram tea for people who 'are given to overmuch sighing.'

The leaves are used in salad, soups, cheese, egg and with fish or meat dishes.

To find Majoram growing on a grave was good news for the family as it meant the dead person was happy.