How to Plant and Grow Oregano

Oregano, or Origanum vulgare, is a bushy, woody-branched perennial member of the mint family, Lamiaceae. Used extensively in a variety of cuisines, it is known for its earthy, robust, aromatic flavor.

A staple of Italian-American cooking, oregano is found in everything from pizza and grilled meats to salad dressings and sauces, with delicious results.

In fact, we like it so much that, according to some sources, Americans consume more than 14 million pounds of this tasty herb every year.

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Native to the Mediterranean region and the Middle East, oregano grows one to two feet tall and two feet wide at maturity.

Its leaves are oval and fragrant. Small, edible blooms in pink, lavender, or white form on spikes in mid- to late summer. Flowers have a more mild flavor than the leaves, and make a pretty addition to summer salads.

Hardy in USDA Zones 5-10, this plant can be grown as an annual in more northern climates.

Let’s learn how you can add this flavorful, easy-to-grow herb to your garden.

You may see oregano mistakenly referred to by any number of names that have “marjoram” in them, including winter sweet marjoram, wild marjoram, sweet wild marjoram… You get the picture.

However, while they are both members of the mint family, marjoram is indeed a different species with the botanical name O. majorana.

To add a little additional confusion, there are also two other, unrelated herbs with “oregano” in their names. Mexican oregano is Lippia graveolens, a member of the verbena family. Check out our full guide to growing Mexican oregano.

And Cuban oregano, Plectranthus amboinicus, is a