Oregano - Perennial Marjoram - Vilmorin seeds

Perennial marjoram (Oregano) is a hardy aromatic plant that is one of the traditional Herbes de Provence. It is a classic ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, particularly Italian, and is essential for flavouring pizzas. Sow indoors from April to June and harvest as needed from July to September.

Native to Western and Southern Europe, where it grows in the wild, Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a perennial plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. It forms a fragrant clump about 50 cm (20in) tall and wide. Its deciduous foliage is composed of round to oval, dark green leaves. Oregano blooms from June to September, with pretty pink to purplish flowers. It is hardy down to approximately -17°C (1.4°F).

Marjoram is a resilient and easy-to-grow herb. It thrives in sunny locations and prefers poor, light, even rocky, and well-drained soils. It is not bothered by limestone. If your soil is rather moist and clayey, we recommend growing it in a pot or on a small mound where it will thrive.

It is worth noting that Oregano is also known as Wild Marjoram or Red Tea, which often leads to confusion with its cousin, Garden Marjoram or Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana), which is less hardy and has a different fragrance.

Harvesting: Oregano can be harvested from July to September by cutting the stalks with scissors.

Preservation: Oregano is traditionally preserved by drying. This is a simple and quick process that you can replace with freezing if you find it more convenient.

Gardener's tip: In the garden, don't hesitate to mix different types of plants by planting some aromatic herbs like Oregano in the middle of your perennial flowerbeds, or even in rock gardens. It looks beautiful, and the sometimes strong fragrances of aromatic plants often have the ability to repel insects that may attack more delicate plants, such as certain roses.