Oregano is a versatile herb with so many uses. Not only does it add great flavor to your favorite dishes, but this little plant also packs quite the medicinal punch too!
Some of the most popular culinary herbs also have healing benefits. Rosemary, thyme and sage can do double duty in your garden while still being a great option to use on food!
However, oregano might just be one that you turn too when first looking into medicinal plants for treatment options.
1. Oregano Is a Perennial Herb
Oregano is a perennial that doesn’t need to be replanted every year. It can grow outdoors in the garden or as indoor plants if you put them on sunny windowsills and give them some sunlight!
Harvesting oregano is as easy and painless process. Simply cut the stem close to ground level when it reaches 4-5 inches tall.
2. Oregano Is Drought Tolerant
Oregano is a tough plant that thrives in difficult conditions. It’s an endemic of the Mediterranean region and can grow anywhere with rocky, dry soil to call home!
Oreganos need very little attention – just direct sunlight and well-draining ground will do wonders for them without needing any extra help from fertilizer or watering.
Mild winters aren’t something this resilient herb has trouble handling either; it’s been known to survive temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit, so you probably won’t have problems growing oregano.
3. Oregano Attracts Pollinators
The bright pink, purple and white flower spikes that adorn the tips of oregano are not only beautiful to look at; they’re also appealing for pollinators like honeybees. Who doesn’t want a garden full of happy bees?
4. Oregano Repels Garden Pests
Oregano is a great plant for repelling pests, including mosquitos and cucumber beetles. Lacewings love oregano so much that they’ll come right up to it in search of nectar or eggs – once these little bugs hatch they feed on aphids and whiteflies with relish!
5. Oregano Pairs Well With Strong Flavors
Oregano’s earthy flavor is a natural pairing with many dishes including garlic, lemon and fish. It also works well in tomato sauce or as an ingredient for cooking meats like chicken parmesan!
6. Dried Oregano is a Versatile Herb
The flavor of oregano changes dramatically when it’s dried. Drying out the plant leaves you with a minty, earthy spice that can be used to enhance recipes for tomato sauce or soups by adding depth and dimensionality in your dishes – an excellent stand-alone ingredient as well!
7. Oregano Fights Bacteria
Oregano is a powerful antioxidant and antibacterial plant that’s great to use as an immune booster. It can also be made into medicinal-grade oils like oregano oil, which contains the active ingredient carvacrol for fighting various infections in both humans and animals alike!
This is an interesting finding! One study found that carvacrol compounds present in oregano oil are effective when fighting drug-resistant strains of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus. The researchers combined these with silver nanoparticles to create a more powerful treatment.
8. Oregano is Good For Digestion
Oregano’s antifungal properties have made it an ancient remedy for digestive health. It contains both carvacrol and thymol, which are found in thyme too–a strong ally against fungal infections
This herb has been used by cultures around the world as a natural cure to heal from upsets of any kind including those infecting your stomach!
Oil of oregano has been an ancient remedy for stomach ailments, believed to fight small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
9. Oregano Has Antifungal Properties
With its powerful antifungal properties, oregano oil is a great option for people who want to treat themselves or their loved ones with Candida-based infections.
The best part? Candida does not build resistance towards oregano oil when you treat it long-term, so feel free to give it a try!
10. Oregano Helps With Sore Throat and Cough
If you have a sore throat, try adding oregano to boiling hot water. Before drinking the tea make sure it’s been removed from heat so as not scald yourself! In addition inhaling steam through your nose will also help with congestion and sinus-related symptoms of cold or flu virus infections.