Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.)

In the countries of the Eastern Medi­terranean, there is often nor clear distinction made between a couple of aromatic herbs of the mint family: Names like Turkish kekik or Arabic zatar/satar [زعتر, صعتر] and related forms in Hebrew and Persian, often in conjunction with qualifying or descriptive adjectives, may be applied to a varity of native herbs including, but not restricted to, oregano, marjoram, thyme and savory. Usage may vary even within a given language, depending on the region and particularly on the local flora. In Jordan, zahtar usually means a spice mixture containing such herbs (see sumac for more).

Leaves. The dried herb is often more flavourful than the fresh (see also thyme on this phenomenon).

Lamiaceae (mint family).

Aromatic, warm and slightly bitter. Oregano largely varies in intensity: Good quality is so strong that it almost numbs the tongue, but the cultivars adapted to colder climate have often unsatisfactory flavour.

The essen­tial oil (max. 4%) may contain variable amounts of the two phenols carvacrol and thymol (see also thyme and savory); furthermore, a variety of monoterpene hydrocarbons (limonene, terpinene, ocimene, caryophyllene, β-bisabolene and p-cymene) and monoterpene alcohols (linalool, 4-terpineol) are reported.

Several species of genus Origanum are native to the Medi­terranean, all of which are traded as a spice. The influence of climate, season and soil on the composition of the essential oil is greater than the difference between the various species.

The Greek name ori­ganon [ὀρί­γανον] might well contain oros [ὄρος] moun­tain, and the verb ganou­sthai [γανοῦ­σθαι] delight in, be­cause oregano pre­fers higher alti­tude in Medi­terra­nean climate. Some Scandi­navian names also contain an element of that kind: Nor­wegian bergmynte and Icelandic berg­minta moun­tain mint and Finnish mäki­meirami hill marjoram; a parallel forma­tion exists in Farsi, avishan kuhi [آویشن کوهی] mountain marjoram. Oregano is indeed related to mint and marjoram, be­longing to the same plant family Lamia­ceae.

Yet that explanation also has its faults. First, the ancient plant called origanon [ὀρίγανον] is not clearly identified; it could well have been a related species, e. g., marjoram, as the two have often been confused in the course of history. Second, a pre-Greek origin of origanon has also been suggested (possibly dervied from a Semitic tongue of Western Asia or Northern Africa). Confusingly, rosemary bears names with the element mountain in Arabic and Farsi.

Names for Oregano in the large majority of European languages are very similar, or even the same: The spice is named oregano not only in English, but also in German, Danish, Polish and even Hebrew (written אורגנו). Minor spelling modification occur some other languages, e. g., Czech oregáno, Spanish orégano, Icelandic oreganó, Italian origano, Catalan orenga, Irish Gaelic oragán and Portuguese orégão. Only a few languages have the name significantly changed: Maltese riegnu and Greek rigani [ρίγανη], which was transferred to Albanian (rigon) and Bulgarian (rigan [риган]).

Many tongues name oregano as wild marjoram, e. g., German wilder Majoran, Swedish vild mejram, Hungarian vadmajoránna, Polish dziki majeranek, Provençal majurano fero and French marjolaine sauvage and marjolaine bâtarde (bastard marjoram). This is botanically incorrect, because although oregano and marjoram are indeed closely related, one cannot identify the former as the wild form of the latter.

Indian Spices: Oregano (indianetzone.com) Ilkas und Ullis Kochecke: Oregano (rezkonv.de via archive.org) A Pinch of Oregano (www.apinchof.com) Nature One Health: Wild Marjoram Sorting Origanum names (www.plantnames.unimelb.edu.au) Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association: Oregano Floridata.com: Oregano Crop and Food Research: Oregano (crop.cri.nz) Alles over Oregano / Marjolein (natuurlijkerwijs.com) Herbs by Linda Gilbert: Oregano and Marjoram Desirable Herb and Spice Varieties: Oregano