Golden Oregano Information: What Are Uses For Golden Oregano

(Image credit: MarjanCermelj)

Herbs are some of the most rewarding plants you can grow. They’re often easy to care for, they can be kept in a container, they smell amazing, and they’re always on hand for cooking. One especially popular herb is oregano. Golden oregano is a common and worthwhile variety. Keep reading to learn more about growing golden oregano herbs and caring for golden oregano plants.

Golden Oregano Information

Golden oregano plants (Origanum vulgare ‘Aureum’) get their name from their yellow to golden foliage that is the brightest and truest yellow in full sun and cooler weather. In the summer, the yellow leaves are covered in delicate pink and purple flowers. Is golden oregano edible? It sure is! Golden oregano is very fragrant and has the classic oregano smell and taste that is in such demand in cooking.

Growing Golden Oregano Plants

Growing golden oregano herbs is especially good for container and small space gardening since the plants tend to spread out less vigorously than other varieties of oregano. Caring for golden oregano is very easy. The plants need full sun, but they will grow in virtually any type of soil. They prefer moderate watering and can withstand drying. They are hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9 and will stay evergreen in the warmer zones. While less prone to spread than other oregano varieties, they are still vigorous plants that can grow to 3 inches (7.5 cm.) in height and spread to 12 inches (30 cm.) in width. Golden oregano plants can be trimmed at any time for cooking, but it’s useful to cut them back drastically in early summer to keep them low to the ground and contained. Dry and store your early summer clippings to have homegrown oregano on hand all year long.

Liz Baessler
Senior Editor

The only child of a horticulturist and an English teacher, Liz Baessler was destined to become a gardening editor. She has been with Gardening Know how since 2015, and a Senior Editor since 2020. She holds a BA in English from Brandeis University and an MA in English from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. After years of gardening in containers and community garden plots, she finally has a backyard of her own, which she is systematically filling with vegetables and flowers.