Oregano is a popular culinary herb used in many cuisines around the world. With its aromatic, mildly spicy flavor, oregano adds depth and complexity to dishes like pizza, pasta, barbecue, and roasted vegetables. However, oregano’s popularity means other herbs are sometimes mistaken for it based on visual similarities.
In this article, we’ll look at 10 herbs that resemble oregano in appearance but actually aren’t oregano. We’ll go over their key differences to help you positively identify real oregano for culinary use.
1. Cuban Oregano
Cuban oregano, also called Mexican mint or Spanish thyme, is probably the most frequent oregano lookalike. Like oregano, it has oval green leaves arranged in pairs along square stems. However, Cuban oregano leaves are larger, thicker, and fuzzier.
This strong-smelling herb tastes a lot stronger than real oregano. It is spicier with hints of anise and camphor. Cuban oregano grows best where it’s warm, and it tastes great in Mexican and Caribbean food.
2. Carom Seeds
Carom seeds or ajwain seeds are the small fruit of the Trachyspermum ammi plant. Native to Egypt and India, these seeds look nearly identical to dried oregano at first glance. However, carom leaves look nothing like oregano’s – they are thin, feathery fronds like dill weed.
Despite appearances, carom seeds smell and taste very different from oregano They have a fragrant, powerful, almost thyme-like aroma. Carom is very popular in Indian cooking and Ayurvedic medicine.
3. Marjoram
Sweet marjoram is probably the second most confused herb with oregano. This is understandable since they are both members of the mint family Lamiaceae. Marjoram has tender gray-green leaves and a subtle, delicate flavor. The leaves are smaller and rounder than oregano’s.
Marjoram tastes lightly citrusy and pine-like compared to oregano’s earthy, robust profile. Subtle marjoram nicely complements delicate foods like eggs, salads, and vegetables. Hearty oregano stands up better to bold flavors like chili, garlic, and red meat.
4. Winter Savory
As a close relative of oregano, winter savory naturally resembles it. However, winter savory has skinnier, darker green leaves than oregano. It also grows as a bushy perennial plant, while oregano is typically an annual.
Winter savory is more peppery and bitter than sweet, mellow oregano. But the two herbs complement each other wonderfully in bean stews, meat rubs, and stuffings. Use winter savory sparingly though, as it is extremely potent.
5. Thyme
At first glance, thyme looks like some types of oregano because it has small gray-green leaves that grow on woody stems. On the other hand, oregano leaves are wide, flat, and fuzzy, while thyme leaves are much smaller and lighter.
The lemony flavor of thyme is mild, while the spicy flavor of oregano is strong. Thyme suits fish, chicken, vegetables, and sauces. Oregano goes better with hearty foods like eggplant, chili, and steak.
6. Hyssop
Hyssop is an attractive, flowering herb with leaves that resemble oregano leaves. However, hyssop leaves are typically a bit longer, darker green, and glossier than fuzzy oregano leaves. Also, hyssop’s stems are lined with leaves, while oregano stems branch out.
Sometimes called the “holy herb,” hyssop has a mildly bitter, minty taste great with fruits, liquors, or in tea. It’s not an ideal substitute for oregano’s warm, robust flavor.
7. Basil
You might think that sweet basil’s big, oval, green leaves are oregano at first glance. Oregano leaves, on the other hand, are fuzzy and round, while basil leaves are smooth and silky and have a unique pointy shape. Dried basil also lacks oregano’s hearty appearance.
Of course, the tastes of oregano and basil are worlds apart. Basil brings sweet, refreshing notes to tomatoes, cheese, and Italian food. Savory oregano is best for hearty meats, chili, and eggplant.
8. Self Heal
This medicinal plant has leaves that resemble a miniature version of oregano when self heal is young. However, self heal leaves are much smaller and grow in low clusters hugging the ground. The purple flowers are also quite different from oregano’s white or pink blooms.
Self heal has an intense, celery-like flavor. Traditionally it was used to treat wounds and swelling when eaten. While oregano has no medicinal effects, its taste transforms many savory dishes.
9. Lavender
At first glance, lavender leaves look similar to oregano, perhaps because both plants are associated with purple flowers. But lavender leaves are slender, gray-green, and pointed, with a fuzzy felt-like texture. They cling tightly to the woody base of lavender plants.
Lavender’s floral perfume and taste differs enormously from zesty oregano’s woodsy, warm flavor. Culinary lavender enhances desserts, teas, and aromatherapy, while oregano makes hearty main dishes like pizza taste incredible.
10. Wild Marjoram
Those from Europe may mistake wild marjoram, also called oregano marjoram, for true oregano. This plant has much fuzzier leaves than common oregano. The milder, sweeter taste make wild marjoram more suitable for delicate salads and eggs.
Ultimately, nothing can fully mimic the complex woodsy, peppery punch of true oregano. Learning to identify it correctly allows you to embrace cooking with its amazing flavor and health benefits.
How to Identify Oregano
Once you know what plants are commonly confused with oregano, identifying true oregano is much easier. Here are some tips:
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Look for broad, flat, fuzzy green leaves with rounded edges. Leaves are typically about 1 inch long.
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Crush a leaf and sniff. Oregano has a warm, woodsy, minty aroma.
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Check for square, greenish stems. Leaves grow in opposite pairs along the stems.
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See if the plant has white or light pink flowers. Oregano blooms in midsummer.
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Taste a fresh leaf. Oregano is mildly spicy and lemony – never sweet.
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Opt for Greek oregano, Origanum vulgare, for the best flavor.
How to Use Oregano
Real oregano truly enhances so many savory foods. Here are some tasty ways to use fresh or dried oregano:
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Sprinkle on pizzas, pastas, and garlic bread. It’s essential for Italian cuisine.
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Add to chili, soups, and stews for warmth.
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Use in Mexican dishes like fajitas, salsa, guacamole, and tacos.
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Mix into olive oil and vinegar to make a bread dip.
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Rub on lamb, beef, chicken, and fish before grilling or roasting.
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Sprinkle on vegetables like tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini, and roasted potatoes.
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Blend into cheese, egg, or polenta dishes.
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Brew into tea for soothing antioxidants.
Once you learn to correctly identify real oregano, you can fully enjoy using this amazing herb in your cooking. Avoid disappointment from grabbing the wrong leafy green for your recipes again!
11 of the Best Types of Oregano
For home gardeners, it’s important to distinguish ornamental oregano from culinary types.
Though I would say all types of oregano are attractive, and they will bloom with pink, purple, or white flowers, some are extra-lovely grown in baskets, borders, or pollinator gardens.
Those types tend to have little flavor, though, and the oreganos that are taste sensations are more modest in appearance.
If you’re looking for Cuban (Coleus amboinicus) or Mexican (Lippia graveolens) oregano, note that while these species have a similar taste profile, they’re not considered true oreganos, and each is in a different genus than the plants we’ll discuss here.
But please do jump over to our Cuban or Mexican oregano guides for more info.
Will you go for looks or cooking? Your choice! Here are 11 types to consider:
It’s possible that the word “vulgar” made you think of something rude, obscene, or gross, given this type’s name.
But regardless of today’s more blatantly negative connotation in English, O. vulgare does in fact roughly translate to common oregano.
Its green stems and bushy, velvety green leaves are lively and robustly scented. This species is really quite wonderful.
If taxonomists would let me rename this charming plant, and if English words were allowed, I’d call it O. versatile.
Not only can it survive deer foraging, drought, poor soil, and cold winter temperatures, you can grow it in all types of herb gardens, as a ground cover, or in a hanging basket.
Common oregano comes from Europe and Asia and can grow to be one to three feet tall. It can also spread a foot or two by sending out runners from the ground.
Its leaves are fragrant, as are its purple-pink or white blooms, which attract pollinators.
It’s a perennial, hardy in Zones 4 to 8. but many gardeners and cooks just grow it as an annual with other mint relatives like basil or thyme.
Find common oregano seeds in packets and bulk from Eden Brothers.
Drops of Jupiter
I wasn’t sure how to make sense of this cultivar’s name when I first came across it.
But according to Nicole Hoonhorst, PR Specialist at Walters Gardens, ‘Drops of Jupiter’ was named for its fantastical coloration, with “drops” alluding to the numerous flowers it produces.
Hybrid ‘Drops of Jupiter’ may sweep you off your feet with its ornamental value: showy chartreuse leaves and stems offset with profuse clusters of pink flowers surrounded by rich purple sepals.
Grow this variety in full sun and it will reward you with even more vibrant color.
While you technically could eat the leaves, their flavor is inconsequential – far milder than leaves from varieties bred for cooking.
‘Drops of Jupiter’ blooms later and longer than other oreganos, from midsummer to early autumn.
Plants reach 18 to 24 inches tall, and it spreads quite handily to fill up large containers or bare spots in borders and rock gardens. It can grow three feet wide as it matures.
The plants are hardy in Zones 4 to 9, so you can rely on them to come back season after season even in cooler climates.
Live plants are available from Burpee.
All that’s gold does not glitter…
Take golden oregano, O. vulgare ‘Aureum. ’ While it’s in no way shiny, it does sport lovely greenish-gold leaves. And it is quite valuable, though not in buried treasure terms.
No, this plant proves its worth as a ground cover, culinary herb, pollinator magnet, and deer-resistant garden plant.
The bright leaves complement other shrubs in the landscape or flower border, too, and brighten up gloomy spots with their color.
It’s even relatively cold tolerant and can be grown as a perennial in Zones 4 to 8.
It’s easy for “Aureum” to grow six to twelve inches tall, and it opens up to 18 inches wide. If you’re growing it for culinary purposes, it’s best to pinch the buds before they flower to keep the foliage from becoming bitter.
Along with other oregano varieties with light-colored or variegated leaves, the golden variety needs protection from harsh afternoon sunlight.
That’s easy enough to provide, either by situating the plants in a part-shade location or with the strategic use of shade cloth. That seems like a small price to pay for this golden opportunity…
Plants are available in mix-and-match three-packs from Burpee.
Here’s one situation where the phrase “It’s all Greek to me!” has a positive spin.
Greek oregano, O. vulgare ssp. hirtum, is a bit more pungent than its Italian counterpart – another variety commonly used in cooking that we’ll cover a bit later in this roundup.
But this culinary oregano is a standout for seasoning all types of Mediterranean cuisine.
Happily, this fast-growing, mounding plant grows about two feet tall and wide, rapidly multiplying via underground runners. It will produce plenty of soft, hairy leaves to cook with and dry for later use.
You can grow it as part of a kitchen garden or in a window box, but don’t overlook the option to grow Greek oregano as an herbal ground cover, even in chillier areas.
It’s hardy in Zones 5 to 10 and will tolerate both poor soil and drought, just as long as you grow it in full sun and well-draining soil.
Greek oregano seeds are available in packets and in bulk from Eden Brothers.
5 Types of Oregano
FAQ
Is there a plant that looks like oregano?
Oregano and marjoram both look very similar.
What plant is similar to oregano?
Substitutes for Oregano: Depending on the recipe you are using – there are some good and quick substitutes for Oregano in a pinch. For Mexican Oregano the best substitute is Marjoram. For Greek or Mediterranean oregano try basil, parsley or tarragon.
How to tell if something is oregano?
The leaves are aromatic, small oval to round, and either smooth or hairy. The blooms may be white, pink, or purple and appear in small 1-inch spikes, panicles, or corymb. The fruit is small, ovoid, brown nutlet. The different species can vary in flavor, aroma, size, and color.
Is creeping oregano edible?
Humile Creeping Oregano is a perennial herb that is typically grown for its edible qualities, although it does have ornamental merits as well. The fragrant round green leaves are usually harvested from late spring to mid summer. The leaves have a pungent taste and a distinctive fragrance.