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Perennial of the Lamiaceae family, widely spread in Europe, temperate Asia, and North Africa, where it colonizes dry lawns, forest edges, embankments, rocky areas, and calcareous wastelands, from the plains to medium altitudes in the mountains.
It forms bushy clumps 30 to 60 cm high, with erect, slightly hairy stems, bearing oval-elliptical, opposite leaves, medium to dark green, aromatic when crushed — the characteristic, powerful, and warm scent is one of the most immediately identifiable traits of the species.
The flowers are small, bilabiate, pale pink to pink-lilac, grouped in dense glomerules that together form loose and branched terminal corymbs. The floral bracts, pink-purple to violet, persist and color the inflorescence even after the corollas fall, prolonging the ornamental effect. The plant is very nectariferous and attracts many foraging insects in full bloom.
In its natural habitat, it blooms from July to September. In cultivation, it blooms from June to September depending on exposure.
A medicinal and culinary plant with very ancient use, oregano has been mentioned since Greek and Roman Antiquity. It is part of many Mediterranean cuisines, particularly Italian.
Very easy to grow, it accepts all well-drained soils, prefers poor calcareous substrates in full sun, and easily withstands summer drought. It readily naturalizes in the garden.