Variegated Oregano
- botanical name: Origanum vulgare
- annual, tender perennial zones 7-11
- height 18-24″
- spacing 9-12″ apart
- full sun tolerant, partial shade
- average soil
- flower color white/cream
- uses in garden: as a border, great in containers, as an edging, fragrant
- use in fresh salads, vegetable dishes, salsa, meat dishes
- attracts bees and butterflies
*Please note: We accept plant orders at any time of the year and if you prefer to place an order outside our regular shipping months of April-May, ordering is still easy. “Why we only ship in April and May”
Due to the nature of shipping live plants, when you place an order, we will simply hold your order and ship it at the proper time for your zone, when weather permits in April 2014. Seed packets are shipped year round through USPS.
For more information see our “Ordering and Shipping Policy.”
Variegated Oregano is my favorite Oregano for fresh eating. It has a milder flavor than most Oregano, yet still very flavorful. The tender, delicately textured leaves are perfect for fresh salads and vegetable dishes. Makes a nice salsa as well. Find great Oregano recipes here!
Variegated Oregano has a low growing mounding habit and very pretty variegation. It is much more tender to heat and cold than the other Oregano varieties. Best when used fresh, although Oregano dries well and retains much of its flavor. Harvest the non-flowering varieties in the late spring as the oil concentrations rise steadily in the spring and then decline.
Compare the Oregano varieties. View a summary of all the Oregano varieties together.
Sowing Instructions:
It is easiest to propagate from starter plants, take your cuttings in the late spring, and allowing them to root in a fine soil mix.
Start seed indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date. Don’t cover them with soil, as they need light to germinate. If you are worried about the seeds washing away, place a fine mesh cloth (like cheesecloth) over the seeds until they begin to poke through. Germination 4-7 days. Plant the seedlings out after they are at least three inches tall and all danger of frost has passed.
To harvest: bunch stems together and hang in a cool and airy place to dry. Once dry, strip the leaves from the stem and store in an airtight container. For fresh use, snip leaves or small sections of the plant after it has reached six inches in height. Keeping Oregano clipped in this way will help the plant to bush out and encourage more foliage growth.
Many people skip the drying process altogether and simply chop the leaves finely, and either – add a small amount of water and freeze in ice cube trays for later use, or add the chopped leaves to softened butter. The Oregano butter, when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, will last for several weeks.
