Editing Oregano (section)

==Taxonomy==
[[File:Majorana syriaca - za'atar.jpg|thumb|right|[[Syrian oregano]] (''Origanum syriacum'')]]
[[File:Bombus lucorum - Origanum vulgare - Keila.jpg|thumbnail|Pollination by [[white-tailed bumblebee]]]]
[[File:S oregano.png|thumb|Oregano leaves]]
[[File:Origanum vulgare young plant 2.JPG|thumb|right|Young plant]]
Many subspecies and strains of oregano have been developed by humans over centuries for their unique flavours or other characteristics. Tastes range from spicy or astringent to more complicated and sweet. Simple oregano sold in garden stores as ''O.&nbsp;vulgare'' may have a bland taste and larger, less-dense leaves, and is not considered the best for culinary use, with a taste less remarkable and pungent. It can pollinate other more sophisticated strains, but the offspring are rarely better in quality.

The related species ''[[Origanum onites]]'' (Greece, Turkey) and ''O.&nbsp;syriacum'' (West Asia) have similar flavours. A closely related plant is marjoram from Turkey, which differs significantly in taste because [[natural phenol|phenolic compounds]] are missing from its essential oil. Some varieties show a flavour intermediate between oregano and marjoram.

===Subspecies===
Accepted subspecies:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=143954|title=Oregano, ''Origanum vulgare'' L.|publisher=Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK|date=2017}}</ref>
# ''O. v.'' subsp. ''glandulosum'' <small>(Desf.) Ietsw.</small> – [[Tunisia]], [[Algeria]]
# ''O. v.'' subsp. ''gracile''  <small>(K.Koch) Ietsw.</small> (= ''O. tyttanthum'') has glossy green leaves and pink flowers. It grows well in pots or containers, and is more often grown for added ornamental value than other oregano. The flavor is pungent and spicy.<ref name=drugs/> – Central Asia, [[Iran]], [[India]], [[Turkey]], [[Afghanistan]], [[Pakistan]]. 
# ''O. v.'' subsp. ''hirtum''  <small>(Link) Ietsw.</small> – (Italian oregano, Greek oregano) is a common source of cultivars with a different aroma<ref name=drugs/> from those of ''O. v. gracile''. Growth is vigorous and very hardy, with darker green, slightly hairy foliage. Generally, it is considered the best all-purpose culinary subspecies. – [[Greece]], Balkans, Turkey, [[Cyprus]]
# ''O. v.'' subsp. ''virens'' <small>(Hoffmanns. & Link) Ietsw.</small> – [[Iberian Peninsula]], [[Macaronesia]], [[Morocco]]
# ''O. v.'' subsp. ''viridulum'' <small>(Martrin-Donos) Nyman</small> – widespread from [[Corsica]] to [[Nepal]] 
# ''O. v.'' subsp. ''vulgare'' – widespread across Europe + Asia from [[Ireland]] to [[China]]; naturalized in North America + [[Venezuela]]

===Cultivars===
Example [[cultivar]]s of oregano include:
* 'Aureum' – golden foliage (greener if grown in shade), mild taste: It has gained the [[Royal Horticultural Society]]'s [[Award of Garden Merit]]<ref>{{cite web|title=RHS Plant Selector – ''Origanum vulgare'' 'Aureum'|url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/89773/Origanum-vulgare-Aureum/Details | access-date = 16 January 2021}}</ref> 
* 'Greek Kaliteri' – ''O. v.'' subsp. ''hirtum'' strains/[[landrace]]s, small, hardy, dark, compact, thick, silvery-haired leaves, usually with purple undersides, excellent reputation for flavor and pungency, as well as medicinal uses, strong, archetypal oregano flavor ([[Greek (language)|Greek]] ''kaliteri'': the best)
* 'Hot & Spicy' – ''O. v.'' subsp. ''hirtum'' strain
* 'Nana' – dwarf cultivar
Cultivars traded as Italian, Sicilian, etc. are usually hardy sweet marjoram ([[Origanum × majoricum|''O.'' × ''majoricum'']]), a [[hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] between the southern [[Adriatic]] ''O. v.'' subsp. ''hirtum'' and sweet marjoram (''O.&nbsp;majorana''). They have a reputation for sweet and spicy tones, with little bitterness, and are prized for their flavor and compatibility with various recipes and sauces.