Origanum syriacum seed

LATIN NAME: Origanum syriacum

COMMON NAME: Syrian Oregano

Syrian oregano is the wild oregano of the eastern hillsides, the heart of the za’atar blend. The low, bushy, evergreen perennial carries the small, oval, grey-green leaves with the fine, warm, aromatic scent, and the small, white flowers open in the tight, rounded clusters through the summer, drawing in the bees. The dried, crushed leaves are one of the great spices of the eastern kitchen, mixed into the za’atar and sprinkled over the breads and the salads. It is a fine, easy, generous plant of the sunny, dry, well-drained ground, and it stands among the great culinary oreganos.

Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology

Syrian oregano has carved a quiet but solid place in the plant science, and the herb has been studied for the small, oval leaves and the fine, warm, aromatic character of the whole plant. The oils of the leaves, which are among the richest of the oreganos, have been looked at closely, and the plant keeps showing up in the work on the culinary herbs and the aromatic oils of the eastern hillsides. The tight, rounded clusters of the white flowers have also made it a fine garden plant, and it is a regular subject of the studies of the oregano group and the plants of the za’atar trade.

Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications

Syrian oregano does a lot of work in the kitchen and the garden. The dried, crushed leaves are one of the great spices of the eastern kitchen, mixed into the za’atar blend and sprinkled over the breads, the salads and the grilled meats, and the fine, warm, aromatic scent fills the sunny border through the season. The low, bushy plant is an easy, dependable filler of the dry, sunny garden, and the white flowers feed the bees through the summer. It has been written about in the culinary papers for the fine, warm flavour and the za’atar trade, and it is a fine, easy plant of the open, sunny, well-drained garden.

Syrian oregano is one of the great culinary oreganos, and the small, oval, grey-green leaves carry the fine, warm, aromatic scent of the eastern hillsides. The tight, rounded clusters of the white flowers draw in the bees through the summer, and the dried, crushed leaves are the heart of the za’atar blend of the eastern kitchen.

To grow the Syrian oregano from seed, sow the fine seeds over the surface of trays of moist, free-draining soil and press them in lightly, keep them in a bright, open spot and water gently. The seedlings show themselves within a couple of weeks and grow on steadily. With the sun and the well-drained ground, the small, aromatic, grey-green leaves will be ready for the kitchen through the season.

Common name:Za’atar, Zaatar Bible Hyssop, Origanum syriacum,Syrian Oregano
Perennial

Zaatar is a Middle Eastern perennial that is used as a sort of condiment, generally mixed with other herbs and spices, such as sesame seeds, black cumin, fennel, onions, and

salt, all blended in olive oil and used as a spread, like a nut butter. It has an oregano-like aroma and taste and makes a marvelous dipping sauce for bread. It likes full sun and

sandy, quick-draining soil. Its yield is abundant in the first year.

This is the new spice you MUST add to your garden this season! Widely used in the Middle East (especially Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel, where it is native) to flavor meats and breads, it is a

wonderfully heady, richly scented and ‘spicy’ seasoning that combines the flavors of Marjoram, Oregano, and Thyme. Easy to grow on deer-resistant plants in poor to average soil, it makes a

nice perimeter planting for the herb garden.

A member of the Origanum family, Zaatar Marjoram is actually closer in flavor to a mild Thyme than to the Sweet Marjoram with which we are familiar in this country. It is commonly used to season grilled mutton, and is also added to breads. Highly aromatic, it is the key ingredient of a popular spice blend of the same name in Jordan; in Israel, a similar blend also relies on Zaatar. If you eat or want to try Middle Eastern cuisine, Zaatar Marjoram is a key ingredient!
Zaatar is easy to grow and quite ornamental. The plant reaches about 3 feet high and wide, topped with flowerspikes that are also used (along with the leaves) in seasoning. It blooms in late spring to early summer, and actually prefers poor to only moderately fertile soil, preferably alkaline (lime-based). It also does well in containers — jsut give it plenty of sunshine, very little if any fertilizer, and it’s on its way in no time!