Oregano drying. Much higher concentrations of volatile compounds are achieved towards the end of the growing season. Oregano Oregano (, ; Origanum vulgare) is a flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to temperate Western and Southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region. Oregano is a perennial herb, growing from tall, with opposite leaves long. The flowers are purple, long, produced in erect spikes. It is sometimes called wild marjoram, and its close relative, "O. majorana", is known as sweet marjoram. The word "oregano" is derived from Spanish "orégano", from Latin "orīganum", from Greek ὀρίγανον ("orī́ganon"). This is a
Cheddar Gorge at the gorge include dormice, yellow-necked mice, slowworms and adders and the rare large blue butterfly ("Maculinea arion"), and small pearl-bordered fritillary ("Boloria selene"). A wide variety of wild birds may be seen in Cheddar Gorge including peregrine falcons, buzzards, kestrels, ravens and the grasshopper warbler ("Locustella naevia"). The flora include chalk grassland-loving species such as marjoram and wild thyme. The Cheddar pink, "Dianthus gratianopolitanus", also known as firewitch, only grows in the wild in the gorge. It was once common in the gorge but declined after being picked by collectors. It is also home to unique species of whitebeam.