Origanum vulgare subsp. gracile

(K. Koch) Letsw.

Lamiaceae Edible: Leaves - spice, Flowers - tea 45,219 iNaturalist observations

iNaturalist· cc-by

iNaturalist· cc-by-nc

Description

A herbaceous plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae) found in temperate regions. The leaves and flowers are commonly used in culinary applications.

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

Oregano is a culinary herb, used for the flavour of its leaves, which can be more intense when dried than fresh. It has an earthy, warm, and slightly bitter taste, which can vary in intensity. Good-quality oregano may be strong enough to almost numb the tongue, but cultivars adapted to colder climates may have a lesser flavour. Factors such as climate, season, and soil composition may affect the aromatic oils present, and this effect may be greater than the differences between the various species of plants. Among the chemical compounds contributing to the flavour are carvacrol, thymol, limonene, pinene, ocimene, and caryophyllene. Oregano is the staple herb of Italian cuisine, most frequently used with roasted, fried, or grilled vegetables, meat, and fish. Oregano combines well with spicy foods popular in Southern Italy. It is less commonly used in the North, where marjoram is preferred. It became popular in the U.S. after soldiers returning from World War II brought back a taste for the "pizza herb", which had probably been eaten in Southern Italy for centuries. Oregano is widely used in cuisines of the Mediterranean Basin and Latin America, especially in Mexican cuisine and Argentine cuisine. In Turkish cuisine, oregano is mostly used for flavouring meat, especially mutton and lamb. Throughout the Middle East, it is a popular variation in the spice blend za'atar, and is a key ingredient in Argentine chimichurri. During the summer, generous amounts of dried oregano are often added as a topping to a tomato and cucumber salad in Portugal, but it can be used to season meat and fish dishes as well. In Spain, apart from seasoning, it is used in preparations of a variety of traditional dishes such as morcilla (Iberian pig blood sausage) and adobo sauce for fish and meat. The dried and ground leaves are most often used in Greece to add flavour to Greek salad, and is usually added to the lemon-olive oil sauce that accompanies fish or meat grills and casseroles. In Albania, dried oregano is often used to make herbal tea which is especially popular in the northern part of Albania.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are used as a spice. The flowers are used for tea.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

Central Asia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye,

Synonyms

Origanum glaucum Rech.f. & Edelb.Origanum gracile K. KochOriganum kopetdaghense BorissOriganum tyttanthum Gontsch.

Also Known As

Kir kekigi, Kokuty, Kus zemulu, Rehana rebel, Rehan

References (5)

Cakir, E. A., 2017, Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants of Iğdır Province (East Anatolia, Turkey). Acta Soc Bot Pol. 2017;86(4):3568.
Dogan, A. & Tuzlaci, E., 2015, Wild Edible Plants of Pertek (Tunceli-Turkey). Marmara Pharmaceutical Journal 19: 126-135
Ertug, F, Yenen Bitkiler. Resimli Türkiye Florası -I- Flora of Turkey - Ethnobotany supplement
Soukand, R., et al, 2021, The trauma of no-choice: Wild food ethnobotany in Yaghnobi and Tajik villages, Varzob Valley, Tajikistan. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution · December 2021
Yesil, Y., et al, 2019, Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants in Hasankeyf (Batman Province, Turkey). Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae. 88(3):3633