Description
Greek oregano (Origanum heracleoticum) is a vigorous, hardy perennial, which prefers well drained soil and is very happy in relatively poor soils. Drought tolerant. This oregano is one of the most pungent and flavorful, and can be used sparingly. Lovely purple-pink flowers on spikes about 18 inches tall are a great addition to perennial borders, especially when mixed with ornamental grasses, echinacea purpurea, and other carefree perennials.
Start indoors and transplant out once danger of frost is past. Once established, the plants are hardy down to zone 5. Harvest the leaves and use them fresh or dried for pizzas, pasta sauces, etc.
We love Greek oregano dried and coating the outside of yogurt cheese balls in olive oil. (Yogurt cheese: add a few pinches of salt to some yogurt and strain through a clean linen or cotton cloth until it is firm enough to roll into balls–since a lot of whey comes out! This really reduces the volume of yogurt, so start with a fairly large amount! — roll the balls in dried oregano and store in a container of olive oil for a day or two until they are all eaten. You can also add lemon zest to the olive oil for added sunshine in the winter months. Use any leftover olive oil to dip bread into or for salad dressings)
