Greek oregano: differences from ordinary pizza herb

64 / 100

Oregano is one of the most popular Mediterranean herbs. We introduce the subspecies of Greek oregano with all its advantages and disadvantages.

Greek oregano: differences from ordinary pizza herb

A subspecies was dedicated to the Greek oregano [Photo: Artem Kontratiev / Shutterstock.com]

The Greek oregano ( Origanum vulgare subsp . Hirtum ) is a subspecies of the common oregano ( Origanum vulgare ). A subspecies of its own was dedicated to the Greek oregano due to its specific natural occurrence in Greece. This is common for the species of Origanum vulgare – there is not a great variety of different oregano varieties on the market, but instead many subspecies with geographical names can be found.

You Might Also Like Marjoram vs Oregano

In terms of cultivation and care, there are no fundamental differences between Greek oregano and ordinary. The Greek oregano can also be propagated by sowing and cuttings and it can also cope with very little water even in longer dry periods. Detailed instructions for growing oregano, which you can easily apply to Greek oregano, can be found in this article.

But the Greek oregano would not be a subspecies of its own if there were no small but subtle differences between it and the common pizza herb:
While most oregano species develop small, pink flowers from July, the Greek oregano shines in a pure flower white. In terms of taste and aroma intensity, Greek oregano is said to have clear advantages over many of its relatives.
The most decisive advantage that speaks for the cultivation of the Greek oregano, however, is the comparatively stronger winter hardiness. Since it can withstand winter temperatures as low as -15 ° C, it is best suited for wintering. Most subspecies have long lost out at such temperatures and are therefore not really suitable for outdoor cultivation over the winter. The Greek oregano, on the other hand, stands out due to its robustness, but should still be protected in the cold season with brushwood or mulch from frost damage caused by too cold temperatures. So you can be sure that the Greek oregano will also provide plenty of pizza herb in its place in the bed next year.

You can find more information about oregano in this overview article.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *