Oregano belongs to the family Lamiaceae and to the genus Origanum. In Greece,
two species are cultivated mostly, the Origanum vulgare hirtum and the
Origanum onites. It is intensely aromatic, perennial plant, with upright and the
deforested shoots at the base, height up to 80 cm. The leaves are sparsely or
densely hairy, elliptical or almost round. The harvest takes place from May to
September. It grows on its own throughout Greece, in coastal areas up to altitudes of 1500 m (in southern Greece).Greek oregano is considered one of the best varieties in the world and it
is used not only in cooking but also for its healing properties. It has
antidiarrheal, antiseptic, expectorant, antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-
rheumatic and anti-inflammatory properties.
