Main features and characteristics:
Description:
- Latin name: Origanum vulgare
- Common German names: Dorst, Dost, Wohlgemut
Appearance
- Plant family: Mint.
- Flowers: white, pale pink or purple, less often wine-red. They sit on spherical panicles.
Flowering time: From July to September. - Leaves: Egg-shaped and tapering to a point, covered in some species by a delicate fuzz. Arranged opposite.
- Scent: Leaves and flowers smell pleasantly spicy and aromatic. They attract a lot of bees, butterflies and other insects.
- Fruits: About 1 millimeter large, dark brown nut fruits develop from the flowers and are spread by the wind.
- Height: Depending of the kind oregano grows 20 to 50 centimeters high.
- Age: Perennial, perennial plant.
- Origin and distribution area: Oregano is native to the entire Mediterranean area. In the meantime, the partially hardy plants have also settled in warmer areas of Central Europe. Wild oregano can be found in light, dry forests, along roadsides and in meadows.
- Site conditions: oregano preferred warm and sunny places as well as calcareous soils. Here it grows denser as it ages and over the years it forms large, fragrant cushions.
use
Oregano is a typical spice in Mediterranean cuisine and gives dishes such as tomato sauce, pizza and moussaka their intense aroma. The leaves of the plant are heat-stable and can be cooked for a long time. The oregano flowers are also edible. When used fresh, they not only give salads a nice look, but also enrich the dishes with their delicate, spicy aroma.
also read
- How much water does oregano need?
- Oregano: use in cooking and as a medicinal herb
- Cultivate oregano in a pot on the balcony
An infusion made from crushed oregano leaves soothes respiratory diseases. It is also effective for abdominal cramps, flatulence, constipation and urinary tract diseases.
The tart essential oil of oregano is obtained by steam distillation and is considered to be one of the most effective natural substances for killing germs. It can be used internally as well as in the form of ointments, tinctures, as well as in the steam inhaler.
Tips & Tricks
Put about 5 drops of oregano oil in the water bowl of the steam lamp. The aromatic scent promotes recovery after great physical or mental exertion. It also makes breathing easier in the case of upper respiratory infections.