All about Oregano / Marjoram (Origanum majorana /

Wild Marjoram (Origanum vulgare) is a perennial, winter hard and herb like plant. The plant becomes 30 to 60 cm high. The leaves are oval, sharp, with a straight border and dark green. The leaves taste of pepper. Oregano flowers from July to September with white or pink flowers. When Marjoram flowers it is massively visited by the bee. Oregano is general to find in South-Limburg, next to roads and edges of the wood. It is a protected plant in the Netherlands and Belgium.
	Common or Sweet Marjoram (Origanum Marjorana) comes rarely run wild for. This plant is cultivated frequently in gardens. It is a half hardy plant. The flowers of Marjoram are white or light red. The leaves are medium green and at both sides gray felt like hairy. The stems are straight till weak, hairy, round and green with red speckles. The plant has horizontal root stem which they hit the ground.
Cultivate Oregano / Marjoram yourself. Place. The plant grows best in the full sun, but they need shadow of the noon’s. Soil. The soil must good drained what dry, alkaline and rich on nutrients are. In contrast to the most other herbs from the same family, Marjoram has grows a stronger taste than these on rich soil on. Multiply Sow in the spring (germination can slow be). Hardy lake persons whose birthday it is kinds can be split up in the spring or summer. Take root or stem cutting of slat spring till midsummer. Cultivation. Thin out or replant on 30 to 45 cm distance. Die off lopping Marjoram branch with two third back before they because of the winter. If the spot is not too windy, late then seed head lie as a feed for the birds. Marjoram can be cultivated indoors. Pick the young leaves when wished.

The Greeks left us the legends and the name of this ancient kitchen herb: oros ganos, meaning joy-of-the-mountain. Those who visted Greece, where oregano (wild Marjoram) covers the hill slopes and gives the summer air her smell, will certainly affirm its names. The sweet-spicy smell of Marjoram is said to be created by Aphrodite as a symbol for luck. Bridal couples were crowned with garlands of Marjoram and plants were placed on tombstones to give rest to haunted spirits. Aristotle reported that turtles that eated a snake immediate had to eat oregano not to die, thus became oregano also taken by men as anti-poison. The Greeks loved the smell after a bath, as a Marjoram oil was massaged on their forehead and in their hairs. Before already, in the old Egypt, it was known that oregano can cure, disinfect and preserve food and that knowledge since then has been kept.
Real Marjoram was introduced in the middle Ages in Europe and was popular among the ladies "to put in bouquets, herb bump and smell water". The leaves were rubbed also over oak pieces of furniture and floors to get a fragrant glow over it. By thunderstorm, the milk girls put Marjoram in the buses of fresh milk to keep the sweetness of it.
Wild Marjoram resembles Thyme and became by the peoples medicine also for the same qualities valued. More particular the use as a stomach strengthening and cough lowering properties and as an expectorants (in case of violent coughing).

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Applications

Housekeeping.
Leaf: (Real Marjoram) Add powdered leaf or a strong decoction to furniture wax.
Flower: Culture Origanum to attract bees and butterflies.

Cosmetic.
(Oregano) An extract for a relaxing bath. Take a strengthen extract as a hair strengthener.

Medicinal.
As a medical herb, one uses the in the flowering time collected herb.

Wild Marjoram
The content of ethereal oil with the same composition as thyme also a same use fixed as a cough means with anti-slime and stimulus softening working. Externally also for baths and turned with antiseptic working by badly curing wounds.
An extract of the flower top of oregano can use cough you as a tea by, stomach and gall-bladder disorders, tensions headaches and agitation, complete exhaustion and menstruation pain. You can drink it also as calming means to prevent sea sickness. Use the herb externally as an antiseptic wound pastes to light swellings, rheumatism and a stiff neck.

Real Marjoram.
The application and method corresponds to that of wild Marjoram, namely by cramps and cough. Moreover the promoting works on the digestion and weak urine arousing.
You can use an extract of the blossom top as a tea by cold, headache, simple stomach intestine problems and nerve disturbances. Add a decoction or a little ethereal oil to the bath water, ointments or compresses for lighting by rheumatic habits and tension. Sprinkle a few drops ethereal oil on a cushion to promote the sleep.

Applications with ethereal oil.

The ethereal oil is obtained by steam distillation of the flowering herb. It is light yellow by colour, with a warm, spicy chamfer like smell. The oil becomes brown when it gets older and contain a high content, 80-90%, phenols (cavaciol and thymol). Because of this is the one of the most antiseptic oils and kills many bacteria, moulds and viruses. Is used for that for all sorts of infections. It is moreover an immune stimulant and a good expectorant (anti-slime). Through the good soothing working beneficially by nerve habits and rheumatic habits, stimulates moreover the blood circulation.

Use Oregano o. a. by; nerve habits, muscle pain, muscle rheumatism, arthritis, flu, cold, bronchitis, belt rose, stucked cough, asthma, hiccups, slow digestion, bad appetite, menstruation problems, low blood pressure, worm infections, cramps, mould infections, bacterial- and virus infections.

Here some applications of the ethereal oil of Oregano follow.

By muscle pain.
Make a wound paste of green loam and add 3 drops of Oregano. Cover with this mixture the painful place and let this work in for 15 to 20 minutes.

By muscle rheumatism, arthritis (1).
Mix 15 drops of Oregano with a little bit of milk, cream or a spoonful of honey. Add this to a warm bath and bathe in this for 20 minutes.

By muscle pain, arthritis (2).
Mix 20 drops of Oregano with 50 ml of St. John's wort-oil. Massage with this mixture daily or to need the painful spots.

By nerve pains (neuralgia), shingles (Herpes zoster).
Mix 10 drops of Oregano oil with 50 ml Almond oil and rub with this daily or to need.

Evaporate.
8 to 10 drops Oregano in the aroma lamp works stimulating by physical and mental tiredness and by a too low blood pressure.

Examples of available ethereal oil of Marjoram, you find here, and of oregano, you find here.

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Chemical properties

In the plant present compounds.
Ethereal oil (thymol, carvacrol), bitters matter and tannins.

Active compounds in the ethereal oil of Origanum majorana.
Monoterpenoids
a-pinene 1.5%, beta-pinene 0.2-2.5%, sabinene 2.5-10%, myrcene 1-9%, a-terpinene 6-8%, y-terpinene 14-20%, paracymene 5.5%, terpinolene 1-7%, a-phellandrene, beta-phellandrene 4%

Sesquiterpenoids
beta-caryophyllene 2.5-3%, a-humulene 0,1%

Monoterpenols
linalool 2-5%, terpine-1-ol-4 14-22%, terpine-1-ol-3 0.3%, a-terpineol 3-6%, cis-thuyanol-4 4-13%, trans-thuyanol-4 1-5%

Terpenic esters
linalyl-acetate 0.1-3%, terpenyl-acetate, geranyl-acetate 1,2%

Phenol-methyl-ethers
trans-anethol -0,5%
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Precautions

Do never use the ethereal oil undiluted, Oregano can sometimes skin and mucous membrane irritations cause. The most ethereal oils cannot be taken in without risk. Use ethereal exclusive internal oil when you have sufficient knowledge or consult a (homeopathic) physician. In general however the working by external use is stronger than by internal use. The ethereal oil can cause skin irritation.

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Culinary

Marjoram has pronounced a spicy taste, oregano yet a little more spicily. Both herbs can be dried well. Marjoram has been arranged for sturdy vegetable soups, paste, fish, game, beef, chicken, sausages and hook bread. Tomatoes, courgettes, potatoes and sweet pepper fit good by the herb. Marjoram is also used in omelettes and in dishes with cheese.
Oregano is especially good in pizza's and can further in the same way be used as Marjoram (maybe a bit more thriftily).
An extract can be used as aromatic tea. It can be minced and be used in salads or butter sauces. Oregano is good to mix with garlic and chili pepper. You can give dishes a light Marjoram taste to lay some stems of Marjoram on the barbecue coals.
Oregano vinegar is to be used by for instance salads. Click here for the method.

Recipe 1: Oregano- / herb butter
Requisites
250 grams reasonably soft cream butter
1 bunch of minced oregano
Salt and fresh pressed garlic juice to taste
Method
Put the cream butter, oregano together with some salt fresh pressed garlic juice in a bowl and stir it with the mixer. Put this mixture in a butter fleet or other suitable dish.
This herbal butter is approximately 3 weeks long maintainable in the refrigerator.

Recipe 2: Tomatoes with oregano
Requisites
4 large tomatoes
50 grams butter
1 tablespoon minced oregano or 1.5 tablespoon dried oregano
1 squeezed toe garlic
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.
Black pepper and a pinch of salt
Method
Cut the tomatoes in two and lay them in an heat-resistant dish.
Stir the butter in a small bowl soft and stir there the oregano, the garlic, the pepper, the salt and the grated cheese through. Cover the cut sides of the tomatoes with the mixture.
Grill the tomatoes approximately 5 minutes until the top begins to colour.

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Other variants

Origanum onites
Means green, piquant tasting leaves and white or pink flowers.

Origanum vulgare "Variegata"
Generous tasting green leaves seasoned, with yellow spots in the full sun, and pale pink till white flowers

Origanum onites "Crinkle leaf"
Curled, spicily tasting, yellow leaves that scorch in the full sun. He has rarely flowers and it is a compact form.

Origanum vulgare "Compact little finger flowered"
Spicily tasting dark green leaves. Compact and dark pink flower heads.

Origanum heracleoticum
Half hardy variant with sweeten seasoned aromatic leaves and pink flowers. Height 23 cm.

Origanum vulgare "Aureum"
Generous, spicily tasting yellow leaves that singe in the full sun.

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Remaining images

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Literature

[1]. Bremness, Lesley;- The Complete Book of Herbs: A Practical Guide to Growing and Using Herbs - Fifth edition; Studio (1994). ISBN 0140238026
[2]. Dr. C. Norman Shealy; - The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Healing Remedies - First edition; Element Books Ltd. (2000). ISBN 186204516X
[3]. Rüdt, U.; - Therapeutic and poisonous plants - First edition; Zutphen: B. V. W. J. Thieme & Cie (1973). ISBN 90-03 94630 , 2

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