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James H. Schutte
Lamiaceae
Origanum laevigatum
Smooth Oregano
Grown as a lovely garden ornamental and a fragrant herb, smooth oregano is a clump forming herbaceous perennial that offers large clusters of small lavender-pink flowers in summer. This sun-loving Turkish native is moderately hardy and tough. It forms clumps that spread by rhizomes, so it does require division every two to three years.
The tall, sprawling, reddish purple stems of this pretty subshrub are lined with small, elliptical, deep green leaves that are fragrant when crushed. It is considered a subshrub because it is semi-woody and shrubby where hardy. In summer, it produces showy, loose clusters of small, tubular, lavender-pink flowers that are supported by dark purple bracts. The blooms are favored by both bees and butterflies. The purple bracts continue to look attractive into fall, so it is not necessary to deadhead the spent blooms.
Full sun and moderate to poor soil with excellent drainage will suffice for this heat-loving plant. Neutral to alkaline soil is preferred. Divide plants in fall or spring to keep the clumps tidy and manageable. This is a lovely perennial for sunny flower gardens or butterfly gardens. Its blooms are great for cutting and have a long vase life.
The most popular cultivar is 'Herrenhausen', which has vibrant flowers and deep green leaves with a reddish purple cast.
12 - 1
6 - 10
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Perennial
Full Sun, Partial Sun
18"-24" / 45.7cm - 61.0cm
24"-36" / 61.0cm - 91.4cm
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Turkey
Neutral, Alkaline
Well Drained
Loam, Sand
Fast
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
Clump-Forming
Spring, Summer, Fall
Showy
Pink, Lavender
Brown
Green, Dark Green
Yes
Single
No
Medium
Matte
Semi-Evergreen
Container, Cutflower, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Butterflies
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