Oregano

Description

Oregano is a hardy perennial herb which, when mature, becomes subshrubby and is evergreen where the climate is mild.

Stem

From a woody base of prostrate habit, grow the typical square-sectioned stems, reddish green in colour, which can exceed half a metre in height; some of them bear only leaves, while others bear the inflorescence.

Leaves

Oregano leaves are very aromatic and smell of pepper, their colour is a fine, intense green, oval in shape, with a pointed tip.

Flowers

Pink or white, the flowers appear in summer and are gathered in rounded panicles at the top of the stems. The flower clusters give off an intense scent that fills the air and attracts bees, they are also a food much liked by birds.

Exposure

Generally this herb likes a warm, sunny position, where it gains more aroma, but varieties with variegated or curly leaves want half shade, and dry up if exposed to full sun.

Propagation

Oregano can be propagated by dividing the clumps, by cuttings or, if need be, by sowing: all these operations should be carried out in late spring, when the temperature is stable and decidedly mild. If you choose to sow, you should know that the seeds must not be covered, but only pressed into the soil, and that germination may take a long time.

Growth

Each plant wants about thirty centimetres of free space all around it. It is advisable not to fertilise the soil too much: you would get a very large clump, but not very aromatic. Oregano is suited to growing in pots.

Harvesting

The leaves are picked as needed in every season, but, if they are to be stored, the best time to pick them is before the flowers open. The flowering tops, on the other hand, should be gathered between June and August, when most of the flowers are open. The stems should be cut about fifteen centimetres below the flower cluster, where they are still green and not woody.

Storage

The sprigs must dry in the shade, in a ventilated place, in this way the aroma, instead of losing strength, will intensify.

Properties

IN THE KITCHEN: The flavour of oregano is typical of Mediterranean cooking: it is used, often mixed with garlic, to flavour pizzas, tomatoes, eggs, meat and cheeses. If you wish to give roasted food only a light scent, you can burn sprigs of oregano on the barbecue.

Beauty

An infusion of this herb added to bathwater has a relaxing effect; used to wash the hair, it strengthens it.

Health

With oregano, whose therapeutic properties were already known and appreciated by the Egyptians, infusions are made to treat coughs, migraines of nervous origin, stomach complaints, melancholic depression and seasickness. An oregano poultice relieves the pain of a stiff neck and has an anti-inflammatory action.

Curiosity

The name of this plant comes from the Greek, in which “oros ganos” means “joy of the mountain”, a name that seems entirely understandable to anyone who has smelled whole hillsides giving off its unmistakable, intense scent. The Greeks crowned newly-weds with garlands of oregano, as it was considered a symbol of happiness.