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Oregano is put to heavy use in Italian cuisine. Marjoram and oregano are what we might call kissing cousins. Or maybe even closer than that, since they are both members of the aromatic family Origanum. There are so many wonderful oreganos, and not every variety of oregano is used for cooking. Some are grown simply for the fun of it.
The most important oreganos or marjorams we use for the kitchen are sweet marjoram (O. majorana), wild marjoram (O. vulgare), and pot marjoram (O. onites). Sweet marjoram is a tender perennial and the other two are hardy perennials. All are easily grown in containers, though. Wild marjoram (O. vulgare) is the herb we know as oregano. Use these herbs together or separately in your cooking.
Wild marjoram (oregano) and pot marjoram grow to about 2 feet tall in an upright bushy form. Then, when the flowers appear, the plant "opens up" along with the pretty lavender-pink blossoms and turns into a floppy spreading mess. New growth starts up again in the center and this is your cue to cut the outside floppy stems and dry the oregano for future use. Sweet marjoram grows to about a foot tall and is lovely spilling down from a pot or hanging basket.
There are other, totally unrelated plants called oregano; one of these is Cuban Oregano (Plectranthus coleioides). This is a pretty, variegated plant that adds a nice touch of color to your mixed herb container. Cuban Oregano is used the same as ordinary oregano.
If you want a particularly flavorful oregano, choose either "Italian" oregano or the lower growing "Greek" oregano. Use your oregano fresh during the summer months, or dried during the winter.
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