''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s and

subshrub A subshrub ( Latin ''suffrutex'') or dwarf shrub is a short shrub, and is a woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a related term. "Subshrub" is often used interchangeably with "bush".Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savo ...

, native to

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in t ...

, and much of temperate

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...

, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scattered locations in North America and other regions. The plants have strongly aromatic leaves and abundant tubular flowers with long-lasting coloured bracts. The genus includes the important group of culinary

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...

marjoram Marjoram (; ''Origanum majorana'') is a cold-sensitive perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavours. In some Middle Eastern countries, marjoram is synonymous with oregano, and there the names sweet marjoram and knotted mar ...

(''Origanum majorana'') and

oregano Oregano (, ; ''Origanum vulgare'') is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. It was native to the Mediterranean region, but widely naturalised elsewhere in the temperate Northern Hemisphere. Oregano is a woody perennial pla ...

(''Origanum vulgare''). With their decorative bracts, ''Origanum'' species and cultivars are used as ornamental plants in the garden. The cultivars 'Kent Beauty' and 'Rosenkuppel' have received the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (No ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

. ''Origanum'' species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. Th ...

e of some Lepidoptera species, including '' Coleophora albitarsella''. ;Species # ''

Origanum acutidens ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' (Hand.-Mazz.) Ietsw. - Turkey, Iraq # ''

Origanum × adanense ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Baser & H.Duman - Turkey ''(O. bargyli × O. laevigatum)'' # ''

Origanum × adonidis ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Mouterde - Lebanon ''(O. libanoticum × O. syriacum ''subsp''. bevanii)'' # ''

Origanum akhdarense ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Ietsw. & Boulos - Cyrenaica region of eastern Libya # ''

Origanum amanum ''Origanum amanum'', the Amanum oregano, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the Hatay Province of southern Turkey, bordering on Syria. It is an evergreen subshrub growing to tall by wide, with strongly aromatic ...

'' Post - Hatay region of Turkey # ''

Origanum × barbarae ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Bornm. - Lebanon ''(O. ehrenbergii × O. syriacum ''subsp''. bevanii)'' # ''

Origanum bargyli ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Mouterde - Turkey, Syria # ''

Origanum bilgeri ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' P.H.Davis - Antalya region of Turkey # ''

Origanum boissieri ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Ietsw. - Turkey # ''

Origanum calcaratum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Juss. - Greece # '' Origanum compactum'' Benth. - Spain, Morocco # ''

Origanum cordifolium ''Origanum cordifolium'' is a subshrub with suberect, cylindrical, hairless, often purplish shoots, 40–60 cm high. Leaves opposite, simple, entire or irregularly dentate, stalkless, ovoid to cordate, 1–2 x 0.8–2 cm, leathery, hai ...

'' (Montbret & Aucher ex Benth.) Vogel - Cyprus # '' Origanum cyrenaicum'' Bég. & Vacc. - Cyrenaica region of eastern Libya # ''

Origanum dayi ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Post - Israel # ''

Origanum dictamnus ''Origanum dictamnus'', the dittany of Crete, Cretan dittany or hop marjoram, is a tender perennial plant that grows 20–30 cm high. It is known in Greek as ''δίκταμο'' (''díktamo'', cf. "dittany") or in the Cretan dialect as ''έ ...

'' L. – hop marjoram, Cretan dittany, dittany of Crete - endemic to Crete # ''

Origanum × dolichosiphon ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in ...

'' P.H.Davis - Seyhan region of Turkey ''(O. amanum × O. laevigatum)'' # ''

Origanum ehrenbergii ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Boiss. - Lebanon # '' Origanum elongatum'' (Bonnet) Emb. & Maire - Morocco # ''

Origanum floribundum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in ...

'' Munby - Algeria # ''

Origanum × haradjanii ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Rech.f - Turkey ''(O. laevigatum × O. syriacum ''subsp''. bevanii)'' # ''

Origanum haussknechtii ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Boiss. - Turkey # '' Origanum husnucan-baseri'' H.Duman, Aytac & A.Duran - Turkey # ''

Origanum hypericifolium ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in ...

'' O.Schwarz & P.H.Davis - Turkey # ''

Origanum × intercedens ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials and subshrubs in the family (biology), family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountain ...

'' Rech.f. - Greece, Turkey ''(O. onites × O. vulgare ''subsp''. hirtum)'' # ''

Origanum × intermedium ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' P.H.Davis - Denizli region of Turkey ''(O. onites × O. sipyleum)'' # ''

Origanum isthmicum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials and subshrubs in the family (biology), family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountain ...

'' Danin - Sinai # ''

Origanum jordanicum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Danin & Kunne - Jordan # ''

Origanum laevigatum ''Origanum laevigatum'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to Cyprus, Syria, and Turkey. Growing to tall by wide, it is a woody-based perennial, with strongly aromatic leaves, and loose clusters of pink funnel-shape ...

'' Boiss. - Turkey, Syria, Cyprus # ''

Origanum leptocladum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Boiss. - Turkey # ''

Origanum libanoticum ''Origanum libanoticum'' (Lebanese oregano, hopflower oregano, cascading hopflower oregano, ornamental oregano or cascading oregano) is a species of herbaceous flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the mountains of Lebanon and Sy ...

'' Boiss. - Lebanon # ''

Origanum majorana Marjoram (; ''Origanum majorana'') is a cold-sensitive perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavours. In some Middle Eastern countries, marjoram is synonymous with oregano, and there the names sweet marjoram and knotted marj ...

'' L. – (sweet) marjoram - Turkey, Cyprus; naturalized in scattered locations in Europe, North Africa, North + South America # ''

Origanum × lirium ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Heldr. ex Halácsy - Greece ''(O. scabrum × O. vulgare ''subsp''. hirtum)'' # ''

Origanum × majoricum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Cambess. – hardy sweet marjoram - Spain including Balearic Islands (O. majorana × O. vulgare subsp. virens) # ''

Origanum microphyllum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in ...

'' (Benth.) Vogel - Crete # ''

Origanum × minoanum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in ...

'' P.H.Davis - Crete ''(O. microphyllum × O. vulgare ''subsp''. hirtum)'' # ''

Origanum minutiflorum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in ...

'' O.Schwarz & P.H.Davis - Turkey # '' Origanum munzurense'' Kit Tan & Sorger - Turkey # ''

Origanum × nebrodense ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials and subshrubs in the family (biology), family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountain ...

'' Tineo ex Lojac - Sicily ''(O. majorana × O. vulgare ''subsp''. viridulum)'' # ''

Origanum onites ''Origanum onites'', the Cretan oregano, Greek oregano, pot marjoram or Ellinikí rίgani in Greek (Ελληνική ρίγανη), is a plant species in the genus '' Origanum'' found in Sicily, Greece and Turkey. It has similar flavors as oregan ...

'' L. - Greece, Turkey, Sicily # '' Origanum × pabotii'' Mouterde - Syria ''(O. bargyli × O. syriacum ''subsp''. bevanii)'' # ''

Origanum pampaninii ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in ...

'' (Brullo & Furnari) Ietsw - Cyrenaica region of eastern Libya # '' Origanum petraeum'' Danin - Jordan # ''

Origanum punonense ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Danin - Jordan # ''

Origanum ramonense ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in ...

'' Danin - Levant # ''

Origanum rotundifolium ''Origanum rotundifolium'', the round-leaved oregano, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to Turkey, Armenia and Georgia. It is a small woody-based perennial or subshrub growing to tall by wide, with strongly ...

'' Boiss. - Turkey, Caucasus # ''

Origanum saccatum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in ...

'' P.H.Davis - Turkey # ''

Origanum scabrum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Boiss. & Heldr. in P.E.Boissier - Greece # '' Origanum sipyleum'' L. -Turkey, Greek Islands # ''

Origanum solymicum ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous plant, herbaceous perennial plant, perennials and subshrubs in the family (biology), family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountain ...

'' P.H.Davis - Antalya region of Turkey # ''

Origanum symes ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in sc ...

'' Carlström - Islands of the Aegean Sea # ''

Origanum syriacum ''Origanum syriacum''; syn. ''Majorana syriaca'' (also ''Origanum maru'', although this primarily refers to a hybrid of ''O. syriacum''), bible hyssop, Biblical-hyssop, Lebanese oregano or Syrian oregano, is an aromatic perennial herb in the mint ...

'' L. - Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Sinai, Saudi Arabia # ''

Origanum vetteri ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in sc ...

'' Briq. & Barbey - Crete # ''

Origanum vogelii ''Origanum'' ( ) is a genus of herbaceous perennials and subshrubs in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia, where they are found in open or mountainous habitats. A few species also naturalized in scatt ...

'' Greuter & Burdet - Turkey # '' Origanum vulgare'' L. -

- Europe, North Africa, temperate Asia (Iran, Siberia, Central Asia, China, etc.); naturalized in parts of North America, New Zealand, Venezuela

Formerly placed here

*'' Pogostemon benghalensis'' (Burm.f.) Kuntze (as ''O. benghalense'' Burm.f.)

References

External links

Herb Society of America Fact Sheet: Oregano and Marjoram (pdf)''Origanum dictamnus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q205265 Lamiaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus